THE  CONTRIBUTION  OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY  LETTER 
TO  THE  NEWSPAPER,  THE  FAMILIAR  ESSAY, 

AND  THE  NOVEL 


BY 


FLORENCE  ELEANORE  LESHER 
A.  B.  Carthage  College,  1920 


THESIS 

Submitted  in  Partial  Fulfillment  of  the  Requirements  for  the 

Degree  of 

MASTER  OF  ARTS 
IN  ENGLISH 

IN 


THE  GRADUATE  SCHOOL 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


1921 


he 


A,. 


I 


I ' 


.^4 


B/6wIJJ1  ^G  YTl2H3ViPfU  *' 

fc 


; f 


■# ». 


• -A 


’ 'l 


jfcGHDa  HTAUaAHO  WtiT 


■ '■  . t‘' 


f-  ■» 

■i  '.. 


\ s 


?130V:'1  cI^^HT  Jifrr  T/^irr  JM  YK3>f3|-t  i 


fB  mX>4}/H}ST^z' Z 


I ‘ ' cis  iT[tT^4  j 

ilC  . ^;  ■ ,^,  - iS^Wf 


v\ 


..  . - ^ 

iL-»  * ^r^iKitnnjp.ia  3Ht  Hfi  va>q  ^ih'i  .ovrtuiH  diw  «/v  fHT*Ht>M  stt'* ' ' 

!l*»  ^ 'ium^h 


* ■ 


. *../? 


1 ' 

‘-7( 


SY.:  - HO  H3>inLi4  StI  I 


|i^  ftCH^Tto-ogttdD^i 


^-•i»'>i*-  •% 


' — ^ - -»^  vf  > 

1->  l'iwl^^ 


■ 


- I 


iL  '?^ 


f ■ IT 


y.itiim«i3‘-«‘\ 

^ ~ : «■ 


■.V  > 


■«ft 


. ->*  7 

I-.-*  - 


m'.k 


•t'^ 


1,3S''  .-.^-i'^*. 

%‘nr.i#,<r.  V "O-^*  <v.f*»*>  «,♦!  ii;j»t,p'.ii* 


5»*-  j»  *-<*  ■■* ; 

c-  i . # I * 


u'  - . . 


IFDEX 


CHAPTER  I 
7 V OP^T  CT I 

II 

The  Conoricat icii.  ci  the  Seventeenth  Century  Letcer 
To  the  Newspaper  


1 


puABTTrp  ixx 

The  Pelaticn  of  the  Seventeenth  Century  Letter  to  the 
Essay  — 31 


rT-pAPTvp  XV 

The  Contribution  of  the  Seventeenth  Centur^  to  the 
Novel  53 


Pibl iography 


iKUJM 


11^, 


"W' 


V 


.t’.'-3 

T t77J«lfS0 


T'S 


;■ 


' . „ n n'IT‘r,m 

, I I ; t . ' 

• 'If' 

y,AJ^»d  -s4^  to  iV-f - .*-:iiyrr>>0,«<iT  J 


:tt 


o;jL’  XisyOr^O  i®)’ 

."  ._^,  v«i,  ■ ' « 


X£ 


e^a?  Q.*  'j^.nitjrojfjavu^  lo  do :1T 


It  C3  •*■'«.».•. 


• . - ^ 


si^r 


,..*  * 
■ ■ 


>i  'j 


>g,J^ 


-1- 

CHAPTFR  I 
I IT  T F 0 D U C T I OF 

"It  was  the  wisaoir.  of  ancient  times",  wrote  Seneca 
an  clvi  Father  cf  Letters,  "tc  consider  v;hat  is  most  useful, 
n.ost  illustrious".  With  reference  tc  these  7ixras,  SaHiUel  John- 
acn  wrote,  "If  this  rule  be  arplieci  tc  work  of  genius,  scarce- 
ly any  species  cf  ccrr.p osi ticn  deserves  more  tc  be  cultivotea 
than  the  epistolary  style  since  none  is  of  rricre  various  or  fre- 
quent use  through  the  \;hole  subordination  of  huainan  life. 

The  qualities  cf  the  epistclo-ry  style  mo-:t  frequently  requirea 
are  ease,  sin.i  licity,  en  even  flow  of  unlaboured  diction  and 

an  artless  arrangement  of  obvious  sentim.ents. The  pebble 

must  be  polished  with  care  which  hop  s-'  to  be  a aian.onu  <-.nd 

i . 

'.\cr..s  ought  s\  rely  to  oe  laboured  when  they  sterna  for  things. 
Thus  in  no  uncertain  manner,  Johnson  eq.resses  the  value  he 
placed  upon  the  epistolary  form  in  literature  an.>.  upon  the  char- 
acteristics of  the  epistolary  style.  It  is  certain  th^ t the 
seventeenth  century  lett-r  rr.oulaed  these  opinions  of  Samuel 
Johnson  for  no  rre.n  has  been  more  familiar  with  an  age  than  was 
Johnson  with  the  seventeenth  century.  ^ 

if  it  were  ^cssible  tc  write  history  of  the  let- 
ter, beginning  perhaps  with  the  fourteenth  century,  the  world 
woula  uorr.e  into  the  pcsseision  of  a very  interesting  ana  val- 


1. -Samuel  Jcnnson--Cri t ici sn s on  tp istolary  writing. 

Pam.bler  1L3. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/contributionofseOOIesh 


-2- 

uable  review  cf  hurrian  develc^  ir.ent  and  of  literary  evolution  in 
that  period  of  English  history  for  letters  do  not  always  prove 
to  be  ephemeral  literature.  But  without  this  ccinplete  history, 
it  is  eviaent  that  the  letter  assuitea  a -Dalient  influence  dur- 
ing the  late  seventeenth  and  early  eighteenth  centuries,  in  its 
contribution  to  the  liter:  ry  lorir.s  oi  that  periou.. 

The  aate  oi  the  origin  of  the  letter  is  not  hncwn, 
b\it  the  letter  appears  in  the  e£.rliest  literature;  hicerc,  Sen- 
eca, and  Horace  .vere  accoir^  lished  lettsr-wri  ters . The  English 
lett er- '.riter  is  in:.ebted  tc  Hoire,  Italy,  Spain  and  France  fcr 
its  epistolary  insp iraticn  for  the  letter  aeveloped  in  these 
countries  before  it  became  popular  in  England. 

The  real  beginning  cf  modern  letter-writing  in  Eng- 
land is  found  in  the  Paston  Let  ters  .■*■  * In  the  village  oi  Pas- 
ton,  Kcrfclkshire  in  the  fifteenth  century,  there  lived  a fam- 
ily i’.hc  seerr.  to  have  carried  on  the  first  corresp  onvj.ence  ol 
mcaern  an:  familiar  chT'racter,  hintin^  of  the  personality  cf 
the  writers  and  the  life  of  the  times.  These  letters  app-eared 
awkward  ana  restruinea  even  a century  after  t}iey  were  written, 
yet  they  ren.i.ered  a distinct  service  tc  the  le  tera  that  fol- 
lowed. The  style’ ol  the  Fasten  Letters  may  be  aeen  in  the  fol- 
lowing extract  from,  a letter  of  John  cf  Oelstcn  to  his  mother, 
Margaret  Fasten.'^' 

"Right  ^orshij.ful  Fother.  I reccm.mend  me  to  you  and  as 
lowly  a-j  I c^n,  I beseech  you  cf  ycur  i le-;sing.  Please  you  to 

1 .-Lock’.ood  and  Kelly.  Hi.ecimens  cf  Letter  ’■■•'riting.  Mew  York,  191 

Page  ' \ilT“ 

2.-Eenn’s  Origin::!  Letters.  London  1823.  Vol.  V.  Letter  2. 


i-.vXJ  .•  ' a^«ifH^..  -t  r,  i ,"'*  ’"I 


f^'ivcs-:  fii  ctt  :’ : -‘ti  r?.iT  : t. -LsI’si^ 


« V * 


^ * \ -*^6 1 ' 

V" 


'I  ‘ ^'j  jrr  I^ti  -Trfiitvi#  •■#<(  ' 


- *M 


;»  -••,  i3..  .i,---:  T.7-,i  jri3«X--  ^ ' 

'f.  " ■'  ‘.  *»'W  '""X-*‘*  ' ■ 

* 'W:  -:1  'ttOO.^d4C«»»‘  \ri»*'4i .«  .iu*i’  '-tU  .i.  r i.'"s»:ijj 

\ ■ ■■’  ' • ' . ^ . ’I*  ' ■ '■  • ■•» 

.'^  f >*f  . T#.  ...  «»  A ♦ « - *1.  ' ' .*  _ » . ♦ »r  ♦ *»■*  — ♦ 


'^•3*I 


10  V 


i 


-n. 


■■?■>  * 
-•iis 


-a . 


/.» 'T  r.r.,'v*  i .' i - ‘'"V.ii’i.-O  it-i  'i 


T»  - ^ 1^* 


b i '’>■'*  • ■:•  ■ t v‘<^  'M\  ^ r 


t'  -i 


f 


i!i*-i  Ki  t ^ ^ 


y t:  I . 


!*A 


,a  si;  -.o^  . ''I 

. -h  .:..  i -Ii-'-;>Y • ^-  *’♦  v-'-’  ■< 

:^l  .:  \ .■!  s<C  xJ 

» *5 

O.s-Iiv  «iiv»  a-i  ‘ .-<1  j:«.X  /'•■  r-.  .;J  ;.h  i 1 

ik  •:*,■  >-4.  fc  ■*  *^'  - - 

■ ‘f  ■•  .»'•.•  “ * ' ' ^' '"^  »-|l| 

' - i . ' * '•■: . ■ »jC5tf  ^•‘*s  • . dw,  vXl 


- ,1'  ■»<  ■ » 

(1.^  til- 


V - 


I ■ - i 


**J1:  ' - -1  t ■ 


-i.l  4^- 


I.-..--;:  '■  .» i.-j-'wnjij 


--  !« 


■ >li  K 


\ 


-.  .ij  ^ 


^ ' •'iWy'  ff«4P^* 

.-1  ...  ' .a.:  ^X^tr 


€ 


«i  _ t”  *■  * * -• 

* 3*  ’ • ■ .«  ^ » r-— 


i 


'■U 


’-.i. 


• • J -S^ 


’.'“  - : ' i r 

t • - « *s# 


'r.-?>--  .. 

. I •'.•:*•  J .1  ! * * »t*T»  • - . 


^■s  * ' 


un:^er3ta.nd  that  thid  ’’’edneaday,  Thomc.a  ’^'ingfisld  asnt  to 

ir.e  ana  let  ir.e  vveet  that  the  King  had  signed  ny  till  of  j^ardcn 
'Ahich  the  said  ■‘^ir  Thcnas  delivered  r.e  and  so  "by  l"'riday,  at  the 
farthest,  I trust  to  have  c:y  pardon  ensealed  by  the  Chancellor 
and  soon  after  sc  aS  I c-^n  furnish  ir;e,  I trust  to  see  y:u,  if 

30  be  that  any  of  the  Klhi^s  house  ccir.e  into  ITcraich. 1 

pray  you  .ithcut  it  be  to  r':y  Lady  <"i.lthcrv'e,  let  tnare  be  but 
few  „oras  of  this  peracn  spoken.  I':o  more  but  I pray  Cod  x:re- 
serve  you  and  yours,  ’^’ritten  the  da.y  before  Mar'/  Magdalene. 
(July  2S) . 


By  Your  Humblest  Son 

London 

\Yednesda,y,  1471. 

The  style  of  this  letter 
ticn  is  awkward;  and  there  is 
thic  letter  is  purely  personal,  it  lacks  to*e  uelicacy  of  the  in- 
tirr.ate  touch.  This  lack  was  due  in  part  to  the  social  ccnaiti^n 
of  the  fifteenth  century.  The  ‘'fastens  lived  in  a time  of  hard- 
ship when  war;  and  U]  risings  continually  ^.isturbed  to.e  life  of 
the  eople.  i'he  confusion  ol  wari^re  rade  life  too  stern  for 
encoura-^ing  the  ievelo-.men t of  an  e^sy  diction  or  w.  great  dec.! 
of  eracn.  l intimacy.  There  had  oeen  nc  unifying  work  that  had 
3ucceea3d  in  purifying  an  ■ ..eteraining  a literary  aiction,  this 
last  I act  aoove  all  others  probably  accounts  lor  the  awkward 


John  Paston" . 

is  stiff  ana  restrained,  the  dic- 
a general  1 .ck  of  e_.se.  Although 


wording  of  this  letter. 

The  century  follc'..ing  the  Fasten  Letters  Scoa  increasea 
prosperity  and  peace.  A general  cultural  development  seemed 
to  permeate  every  life.  It  was  irom  the  gilts  oi  tnis  prosper- 
ity that  John  Donne  and  '^ir  Henry  Tatton  introduced  a letter, 
charmingly  personal  and  free  from  any  conceit  of  the  vriter. 
These  Qien  also  prroiitea  oy  the  liuurary  ingiisn  that  was  aevel- 
cping  from  the  pen  oi  Shakespeare  icr  they  coula  not  help  but 


> • 


V 

!a 


■yts  .* 


» 


i - ' ’ -’  lifj' 

= : .-r^  T 

■^^■A4  ’lfi<  r, 

* ''•  J fl 

. ilt^  . , • : . '3  i;  “ ‘ Vf^ 

-:i  .>  -i  * '*1  1 . , A,  . . _ 


1 #«4 


« * ^ Tf 


it 


* “i  ■-V^ 

» USTv' 


i.,J8*i  ^/jflpSl-  vpV-, 
V4  -‘?JE#jM|  *.»  ;-•#. 


• i* 


’ •-*  WH.  .u  :;..‘‘i  •■^  ' •■•-,' 4* 


* I. 


."?#;♦!  «i.  ^ 


. ..  V <**1  ^ 

-■-■*»* -^*  ’_.  ■«.  ..r  ■*j  ' II  . -i>.  ^T*i  5rj|>. ;»-’*» ^t.t 


'*■*  .-•>  •’  X %i  i l>i>  >S£rf  ; i i i;  I 


-'•o  ♦itt  ■■' 

''  0 . 

10^  \m.  *,,'A  * -'■*  ^ 


i|*4  , . 


-4- 


abscrb  sore  cl'  the  literary*  graces  and  enthusiasm  oi  tne  fcliaa- 
'oetnan  ^rerioa  in  iLnglena.  One  may  eaten  a glimpse  oi  '''^‘etton's 
style  in  the  iclior. ing  letter:^' 

” Cir : 

Let  me  lirst  thank  you  rmeh  for  that  Purall  Commun- 
ication with  your  own  thoughts,  the  best  of  all  cori.p anions , 
I was  lirst  taken  '.-.ith  the  ‘'/'irginitie  I as  I may  say)  of  tne 
Inscrirtion  in  cur  Vulgar.  ITett  vvith  c;  natural  -suavity  in 
the  elocution  which  though  it  be  lyric*.!  yet  it  shews  you 
can  put  on  the  buskin  when  you  list.  Ana  wnen  you  are  e.t- 
terr.rtea  again  to  solicit  your  own  sp  irits,  I wouIj.  f*.in  ■ 
have  you  ventu’re  up.on  some  tragic*!  subject,  though  you 

borrow  out  cf  .Arabia and  sc  committing  you  to  Cod's 

dear  love 
I rest 

At  your  Commands 

TJ  I! 


The  letters  of  John  Tonne  show  even  greater  personal  charm 
*na  ea.se  than  ..c  the  letters  of  Penry  t'otton.  John  Donne  en- 
joyed the  same  aavantages  of  the  p tried  t:.at  ''’^otton  eiijoyea  to- 
gether with  a gre.-ter  ease  -.'na  ..elightiul  chart  . Donne  is  more 
subjective  t..an  "etton  which  makes  his  letters  mere  peraon.,.!. 
This  letter  below,  .vritten  to  a '’fair  laay"  is  t''ppical  cf  his 
style: 

^ Ci  ' K • 

MkCvl. . w • 

This  letter  whic"^!  1 sena  enclosea  has  teen  yours 
may  r-.^nths  ana  hath  langiished  ur  on  my  table  for  a pas- 
sage so  long  th  't  is  others  send  news  in  their  letteas,  I 
send  an  antiouity  in  mine.  I *urst  not  tear  it  after  it 
wod  yours--there  is  sore  sacrilege  in  *.ei  = cing  anycning 
ccndecratea  to  you  *nu  sons  ifipiety  to  de-pair  that  any 
thing  u.evoted  to  you  shoul*  not  be  reserve^*  to  a gooa  is- 
sue. I rem.en.ber  I should  have  sent  it  b.y  a servant  of 
whose  diligence  I see  i was  too  confiaent.  I know  not 
what  it  says  but  I dare  m.ake  thio  letter  no  lcng*r  be- 
cause  being  sure  that  I alv.ays  think  the  some  thoughts  of 
you,  I am  afraid  T should  fall  'u  on  the  s..m.e  woras  and  so 
send  one  letter  t'.ice  together. 

■your  very  aiieotlcnote  Avsrve.nt 

J.D." 


1 ♦ -Fejlquiae  ^'’c,ttonlh.t..«<«:fi-  London  1651.  Page  5Cb. 

£.-Jchn  Donne.  IVt't e*rs  to  Several  ~^ersons  of  Honor.  Lonaon 

age  4 — 5 . 


1545 . 


— ■ - 


? ' «*  1 ' t ; ■ ^ . » 


I tj 


,'  l > 


%,iff 

*•1'^ 

Q.4I  W-  ^ 

, ; 1 , V ^ > r ■ ' . : : r 4-1; ^ 


1®^'. -<>  ^1,  tj 


1-'  '1 


V 


-•■  ti/v*--  i. 


I *4. 


' •* 


, - U i 1 1*.  iv  T / V*  ft  ■•(*•>  i *.  (■ 
t>:'  ;i  -Jyi  [ifT" 

.'Ur*'  ‘irt,^l^  a ' t , 

«#-.' w j ! «.  r if,.-%  5?  , ae.'  ^ '1 

* 0 ':-  i - 

:::i"a. 

-•1  T 

* . - I '*'5  '*:'  : 


, ■ ^ T * r i.  • '..  # :i 

’ fj,  ’ V* ' '■"  --- 


r.  V* 


M'v  i r . *j, 


■*  *'• 


« 4(  i J 


V 

• '.  < i f i V d^tifn  A* 


■IM 


j S ' f i 


Af*  * ^? 


/ 


^ \ 


;.  :i  ■*  ao/(U 

T CC9i '3,1  y : .-.:  C a.:  ifAHOd  v.J  ?ii  j4%. 

‘ fi  .’.  tr*-.  ' . ii  vT.'ii'v  ,’  . r * »;'/■ 


I 


\i1 


-c- 


: > * ' \ .;•  ’ I 


; ..  i : . ; 1 ! V r ■ y 4^  ^ T to 

-iPc  r ^-,-C  .T  fv#)i  Kv , ' i-taXt  I .'  .*; 


0 - V 


f ' ®.tl 

..ji  -Mz, 


(u 

'i 

- ■*  jj  ' ^ .©?^j£?r';- 

:X>-'  ir‘1 

,-:  #*?  - ' ; «i 


^*4-?  .,  1 ;‘C':}  sTftV 


il|L»-t  .i,  . 


.»iX  'sf'jy 


f 


V35P1 


. ■-  a . 


Tne  half  century  that  followed  '^I'otton  cu.nd  Tonne  was  a cen- 
tury of  continued  advancement  and  interest.  Letters  and  letter- 
writing;  seemed  to  oe  the  yhase  ci  literature  most  ..  oi.ular.  This 
was  the  result  in  a large  part,  to  the  success  of  Bal^-ac  and 
Voiture  in  France.  These  two  men  cree.ted  a vogue  in  literature 
which  crowdeu.  all  others  into  the  backgrouna.  In  une  circle  of 
the  i:  recieuses  there  was  a public  upon  which  no  u.elicacy  of  con;- 
pliment  or  beauty  of  phrase  was  lost;  a public  that  constantly 
aerr.an^ed  the  best  e vvriter  could  give.  The  ^ letters  were  real 
enough  ana  the  term  fctir.ili„r  might  be  appliea  to  them.  Balzac 
remaineu  sor'ewhat  alooi  wniae  Voiiuic  successfully  usea  a con- 
vincing tone  of  coraial  familiarity;  a fine  phraeing  of  human 
sympathy  or  »vell  turned  com,:  liment . "People  praised  Palzac; 
they  scugot  to  irritate  Voiture"!  Besiaes  this  vogue  of  Balzac 
ana  Voiture  in  Pnglanl,  the  "handy  letter  writer"  with  ita  moa-  ‘ 
el  corres}  on-..ence  for  all  occaai'.n-.  uas  in  great  uemand.  Scir.e 

twelve  ol  the-e  .ere  in  existence  wiien  J.. rr.es  Howell  pu'oli.iheu 
hi  a Ep  i--i  tolae  Hg-'^lianae  in  1645. 

The  letters  of  J;mei  Hov.ell  show  marked  advancerrient  over 
the  letters  of  Donne  and  Wctton.  They  reflect  the  influence  of 
the  French  writers  in  grace  and  periection  of  style.  Moreover, 
though  Hovieli  appears  tc  be  writing  a personal  letter,  he  was 
w'l'iting  with  a conscious  attempt  to  entertain  an  auaience  un- 
known. Howell  populariaed  the  art  of  writing  faii;iliar  letters 
in  appearance  which  in  reality  were  literary  efforts.  The  dif- 

l.-UphaiT',  rrench  Jhiluence  in  hnglisT  Liter.ature.  w w ’-erk  19C8 . 

434  fib  " 


M 


t-' 

-'X  I r » ? -tvi  > J'  . r ? •? . <>  * 

^#  • »*  • "f  .' T ‘i.^y i.i«  ir* .**. "0 


^ -mi,  *1 

"v*  ■''"  ^ 


{ ^ * ^?f  ■ ^ 


f f^at:kni  t?  .to 


’Tfck 


, 'T  •(-'sT  ' 


Wlf  tJTtv  ' -J  k -ki’/  A ‘ :?i:  i-  .»'itV 


OtP  ' -'6‘x  » r.lj 

-j-..'-.  i.>  VQin::. 


* JL  , 

*> 


* (y  i 


^ ‘ ’ e'jcir  '■'«#'i*A,'  T<-  't-Tt^Mf-  ’ 


■"-,  t ■:  i.'  ' n,....,  „ •>,((f  ».#  t«; 


• - r " ■ , j:  , .(^S  . 


•-:  ■:•■  *,'l'  l^l'U  .»t  : . 1'^*' 

- ' 


> I- 


,.v 


U...'.  .;,  ' 

> j«| 


to  •ilj'^  .Xftiti^ 


«J 


td  ijt  ;3\* 


■ ^ 


s ' « . VJ 

. t *^:1? 

• 4 ''; : 1?.  ' . - 4 . V 4Mi  t ' , T *;ri7  ? f . • : Z 

i * r ■>  V-  , ■ -f' 

‘1.  , _ ?, : ■ , » 

*•■'■;’  ■ '‘D'*".^  r.  7 "'•**..  T*  i? 

,;:a*  wiil  , 

V :«'a< .3>-j-  "t.-j  • i«  Htd: 

t 

il  §ii' 


^‘-ti.  %:  iZv**''!”  ■ ..s'-..-.Y'?: 


' *dM  m 

' ’S  0 1'* 

r 

^ *> 

: 4 rYiktrfwi.' 

-.X 

fe' 

• — ■ ■■  ■>"’  "if 

♦ > , r 

:i 

. T 

F 

r n 

V 

‘ii  ■ 

-4TTO_ 

f,3 

seen  in  the  following- 


-6- 

ference  this  caused  in  the  letters  may  he 
extract  from  Ko-'^lianaej  a letter  written  to  Howell's  brother 
1 rom  Airs  t e r lair. : 

"Brother: 

I an.  newly  landed  at  Amsterdam  and  it  is  the  first 
foreign  earth  I have  ever  set  foot  uyon.  I was  ritifully 
aick  all  the  voyage  for  the  weather  was  rough  ana  the  wind 
untoward  ana  at  the  mouth  of  the  Texel  we  v. ere  sur;. risen 
by  a furious  tempest  sc  that  the  ship  was  like  to  split  up- 
on some  of  those  old  stumps  of  trees  \.herewith  the  river  is 
bc  full  lor  in  ages^past,  as  the  skipper  tola  me,  there  grew 
a fair  forest  in  that  channel  where  the  Texel  ncu  makes  its 
bed.  Having  ceen  so  rocked  an  shaken  at  sea,  when  I cam;e 
ashore,  I began  to  incline  to  C^-ernic’ia'  opinion  which 
hath  got  such  a sway  lately  in  tne  v, orlu,  vi^i,  tnat  tne 
eartn  as  v.exa  as  one'  rosu  ox  ner  leiiow  elements  is  in  per- 
petual m.otion  fer  she  seemed  so  to  m.e  sometime  after  I 
lanaed.  He  that  observes  the  site  and  position  of  this 
country  will  never  hereafter  aoubt  the  truth  of  the  philo- 
sophical problep.  which  makes  sc  gre-*t  a noi^e  in  the  school 
vix,  tnat  the  sea.  is  higher  than  the  earth,  becau-e  as  l 
sailed  along  the-e  coasts,  I viaitly  lound  it  true  for  the 
gromd  lies  not  only  level  hut  to  the  apparent  sight  of  the 
eye  far  lower  than  the  sea  which  maae  the  Duke  of  Alva  say 
that  the  inhabitixts  ol  this  country  are  the  ner^-rest  neigh- 
bors tc  hell  of  any  peep le  on  earth  because  they  dwell  the 
lowest . " 

This  letter  shows  that  Howell  was  writing  with  a conscious 
effort  to  an  unknown  auuience;  he  was  writing  for  later  j..ubli- 
cation;  paving  the  way  lor  the  proies-ional  letter  writer  and 
for  the  use  of  the  letter  in  the  e-»eay  and  in  the  novel.  As 
has  ''  een  suggested,  these  charr^cteristics  of  Howell  inaicate 
the  effect  of  the  French  influence.  Sir  John  Suckling,  Robert 
Loveday  ana  Thome  s i'cr^.e  also  followed  irench  n Gaels.  Another 
type  of  letter  which  shows  the  influence  cf  French  writers  was 
the  letter  of  love  and  gallantry. 

Dorothy  Osborne,  in  her  correspondence  with  Sir  Wiliiami 
Temple,  -wrote  very  intimate,  charm ing  and  graceful  letters.  The 
style  of  this  correspondence  may  be  best  judged  from:  a state- 


^ £ .■  1 • t?  Hit- 


‘ ^ruii 


,r 


V 


•«  > 


3 <■  : 


;v'  ^ ^ bri. 

*'"■'  •‘^''^t«'  ’-it:  JMi-  ,- *!**».: 

e^tr  :i. 

r. ••*  ■ •'  n*  f .-ii^4  ,:... 

■'  c*'  .i-»  ' V 


lin 


f * V ■ ”* 

i&-T  I « il-it  . 4»  ^': 


*;>r.  frif^jT*  Uaiy*.  •■!::,>,  . ,.  :i;>.X 

.^®i^ 

-'.1^ 


’H-A  I *‘^ <>rv  ■■»«%  .^ 

■ . xtri  ^ >■  --r  . 


-X  f ' " 'v *' ' '■  * '=*  iS®  ' * '■'  u 

♦r'-  ' ‘ * *•*.  **’k  -■  ,,:3  0#^'“''*" 


.'S'  > w .' 


! • ■m.'Ji'*  ^ 

* I ■ i i iHieS^  j 

-1^  T 'u» ' " r j ' 1^  i4w*1R 

• .*'' ■ ^ *'  ♦•<*'■  ■.»a.  ♦f'v'i; 

*'>  :'*■*“  ‘'''  ‘-^'  **'  'itac 

.•^■‘  wj  / .;*-r  .'‘fMt  -<  i-T  ' T .,ij'  I 


■'  SAC. I ^,.- 
■ • •*  \ 'i< 


•C  *■-  ;^i'.'  ,,  C'fc  *4i^  V (►■*?#  «i(  . » J*” 


• •lA.XO 


Xti**®''?  ^ >,ft*  -iin^--«ii  - . 

. . , ^ . ’ , . . * > • 

.«F'i  alMy«  '«-.*  t,f|  tA;>0  ■ i^,:,^^■.  • 4£f»;  Xti , _ ^fTisdl* 


' • -c.  rt  r j 1 ,.  i - jM  * .- : r ? - : ■^^>^  * - v;. . .••  n . .v 

'V-..  T ^4-,j  . . |g|  . :r.i  .^•■iuYi  ' .■»e*x;’l'- 


. €X.B-r'  '‘  m Uc-r  I 


- lx»=  i-On*  ! ! '; 


’--^  t C-'"  ■ 


' 'C'-.T  Xv  WL«»%»3J 


J .,*■ 


: • .*f  Uf/iNi:  'i£ 

‘ t ^ Tfitiij 

^ ^fi' 

- 'al 

vV  % 

KTi  uCl 

V?  X'  ‘-ixi-d 

t V ^ . ^ '! 

• '~-  * »®'" 

-7- 


ment  of  Dorothy  Osborne  that  "All  letters  methinks,  should  be 
free  and  easy  as  one's  disc.ourse,  not  stu^aiea  like  an  oration 
nor  niaue  up  oi  hard  words  like  a charn:" . These  letters  recent- 
ly published^  ’ are  perhaps  the  irost  attractive  collection  of  the 
±ate  seventeenth  century.  They  were  written  beyond  douDt,  with- 
out the  rer.otsst  thought  of  publicity.  A tyi.ical  exaiKple  of 
this  ccrre 3;  onaence  is  the  letter  following  written  soiTie  twelve 
years  after  the  marriage  of  Dorothy  Osborne  and  Sir  Willie 
Temp le : 

"Ly  Dearest  Heart;  - Forly  ^ia  me  great  wrong  in  not  ..sliv- 
ering the  long  scrip  I cent  y:u.  I know'  if  you  ha^.  seen  if 
oefore  you  vrit,  yours  woul  ^ have  been  something  longer  tha.ii 
it  is.  But  I ari  thanlf^l,  however,  and  indeea  you  sent  me 
very  gooa  nr  s of  my  .Aunt's  stay  in  towne  icr  the  thought  of 
the  journey  was  not  very  pleasant  to  me.  I air  glad  you  have 
founa  a footman  too,  an  i Terr,  shall  be  sent  up'  as  you  a;  point 
but  how  will  you  Joe  to  return  your  money? Jack  is  in- 

vited tc  Ccly  a-shroving  ::ut  n.y  Laay  says  she  believes  s’ne 
is  never  to  see  y.u  there.  T sayeJ.  -hat  T coula  to  e -.cuse 
you  but  you  are  concluded  the  arrantest  gaa..er  in  ye  country 
None  matter  though,  my  dear,  I love  you  for  ..11  that  sos  you 
Vvill  haste  hems  ap'a in e . " 

cruch  personal  cn.i  intima.te  letters  continue^  to  flourish  in 
the  late  seventeenth  ..n..  early  eighteenth  centurie-s.  In  aaaition 
to  these  letters  mentions:,  letters  purely  political  concerning 
rarliam.ent  and  p^^rty  i"'.suea,  critical  epistles  and  treatises  ap- 
peared. .^Ithoug})  any  classification  of  such  an  omnibus  form  as 
the  letter  could  not  be  entirely  satisfactory,  the  fcliowing  one 
is  suggested:  I.^tote  letters  ana  letters  oi  n -.tional  p olitical 

problems;  ii.  Actual  privete  corresp  cn..ence  as  that  of  Wot  ton, 
Donne,  and  Dorothy  Osborne;  III.  Fam.iliar  letters  with  conscious 


1 .-Ufe  ana  Letters  l6b4-l?43.  iMartha  Laay  Gilford.  Lai  ted  by 

Julia  G.  Longe.  Lonaon  1911. 


i*/*  ci^iH  • 1 5 • . f’ J ^ •trZ^ , ; V £ 


■T 

> Ti 


..  .-j 

( 


/ .*  ‘ (*.'*  •.  l?f^  .'Te»i 

i V « , 


•'is. 

r*  V.  ^ii‘1  I 


V^rrft^r*. 

• 1 : - i t 
/J- 

c 1 tv 

ii  ^' 

I |fi  ‘*  , 

or.yi  .,r.*/ 

i . 

^Ut  li? 

' T 

V * 


j;  %■  '||S»':^  uc  ua 

« 


> 

‘J'jl 

-^1  • ;s  r^..; 


• -*ii.  ■ - ^ 

\ -1 


t - 


Ya  .4 


.1.  . *T.-rr-f 


,t  fSh|^  ^ vi/,4 


, -V  I . >'.ri 

, 1 ' ,l'et'.il*Li*  ;i-^V  ',.  i--  i 

/ • *• 


, - J \ ^ 

.-  tt 


j , - --  - --.  -.r.  ^ , • ..  . * ,1^  >,• 

' _^d.  :r#/i;f.  .,^  , ; •.  ,5^-u  • 

v ^ J:T,  \.*a  ,i  ^ ^ /i ,,.^:  iti  .. 

■ ; -.‘i  'i  '■-■  ^ . ..  .‘•.■’Ji'av  i*w  : 'M  i.  • .,  rjr  « ,»  ;..^.*jiii '■<«#  \ 

'•  tuZ%  < ^ ' 'I  J V > vavy 

• .‘;  :•  ,*»  .1^.',*  <;..••  r *;■'  .,'tA  '*••^'11  ' I 

ot*  i\*4.  X Yib. 6i.>  >»  r 

«.•••  1 ■ ,i  • .,.  "‘-M  ' *'■ 


“•1/ 


**  ■;>, 


* ■ •■V  c , 


•'  >a®i  I ; -^.*5 

7-.  '.,.  i»«  ♦•tX.r  - ’'- 


-^’■*.  f.  ».v  *x^ 


tf».  -1  •> «•  . ,’i»'  itj  ."'  ' - » . .;  •■*.,> *:• 

>■  ■ . T ■ I"l6 

i;  y|  i.  «•!  y: 

iMtfc,'*' .c  ...  ..  ^’^^^jjlpi^i 


,fj 


|p«  ' O . . . . >V  A ' 

-V  Yl’ 

' ^ 

* • < 


J \- 

^ V - ; 4 *i  - 


:.  , w-TIt**'  VT7,%  . i,'  ■ - -"^1 

*'*'*•.*  "j"  ."'  I ■ ’ 


;a.  • 


■*••  ',  ..../*•  ,”’li  •' 


: > f 


. . i 


• ii-a  .' 


as^ararr^lur  r; 


...  • 


8 


literary  intent  like  the  letters  of  James  Howell  and  IV.  The 
critical  letters  of  the  essay  type. 

In  the  sixteenth  century  "News  began  to  be  the  fashion"-. 

In  spite  of  the  fact  that  this  was  a century  of  great  activity, 
progre-s  and  interest,  no  newspap-ers,  iieriodicals  nor  popular 
forms  for  political  and  Judicial  information  were  in  publication. 
If  news  or  ideas  were  to  oe  conveyed  by  the  written  word,  it  was 
of  necessity,  aone  through  the  epistolary  form,  especially  throiigh 
the  nev.8-le t ter . These  news-letters  served  as  newspapers,  bulle- 
tins, perioaicals,  political  ana  legal  aocuments  ana  later  when 
a veil  oi  fiction  had  been  draped  about  them,  they  were  converted 
into  the  early  English  novel.  It  was  oecause  oi  tnis  that  seven- 
teenth century  letter- ..ri ters  became  professional  and  conscious 
scribes . 

The  nowa-letter  was  oorrowea  by  hnglana  l rcm  the  continent 

where  the  earliest  p ublic..vt ion  of  news-lettera  had  occurred  in 

1 . 

Venice  in  1536.  These  Acre  the  ? ’ o t i z i e Ecri tte  publishea 
monthly,  the  first  Italia.a  hewspap-r  .'  Later  these  p.  I'ers  took 
the  name  ^^azett^e,  this  nj.me  coming  from,  the  practice  of  p^ermit- 
ting  ; person  tc  reaa  the-e  papers  upon  the  payment  of  a small 
coin  knovm  as  the  ,q:azzet ta;  and  this  nam.e  still  continues  to  be 
almost  synonymous  with  newspaper.  In  Hnglana,  as  early  as  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth,  news  pamihlets  or  Mercuries  were  published. 

The  first  newspaper  in  Englanu.  was  the  7 eekly  News  eaiteu  by 
Kathaniel  Hutt 3r  1622. 

1.  -Andrews,  Alexan,.er.  ' istory  p.f  British  Jcurn_.lism 

Lonuon,  12  5d . TV  IVXn 

2.  -These  Italian  papers  iirst  appeared  ar.  manuscripts,  posted 

for  reaaing  rather  than  circulated. 


& n .^r  '1 

^ •-* 
jl* 

- 1.  i ;t;  ..tr;j4^^"  4 ■-  '•a***^  'I. 

*u  <'  i.  • • .V  . . ^'ii  .’  ? M./  .;art 

* - . * 1 J tf  ^ • XwiM  b<s!irz  i . ‘(H  t < 

iV9iix^-r^al^:  Itf'l^’ilia.  ..n-  C:^l>if;>;  Vrf3  :X 

' T.  ■'• 

. 'i  ^ ■*'  ■ 

§ »i5^i3r  S-'  t \Z7iZ  ,-±.  ’ <*1  .•■  i.'jt 

■ I ■ ’ ' ' ' •'.*■ 

C.Vi  ..  t/^ 

^_.if.' ' w * i ’ ‘ t 


^ ^ w 4* 


4»7‘'-  - ▼ ' -*  ^'>J7  .I 

* i ' j ' » t '•s 

« f I 

* ♦ r * 


i'tdv*  1'  -*  tt 

’S . 

«l!? 

»V'  c X 4/J\  «Mi; ’ 


J,,- .’ ,l3tf 


: . ^'‘9ir  f-  ii*.  \i0i|K  ,-iii 

^ ■ V.  ''  ■'■•' 

» - ' ' ■■  ' ' 

•'  -»  ’ :vx;5  . f!  :-f.  .j-'.v*."*-  M >•  4^n4% 

, -•  ' ^ '\f»  * 


'-kJ  » 

• ;2,»  r;  •■ ' 


» ^ 


1.  Y 1 


J ♦ C7J.V  :-*/)  ■ V ; 


••■  '*  ‘ ^ 

*•  if  4 '* 


I , 6*  -*  * * Y ,«  . i , y 'tVllt/  ' 5,'  'J:  1 

y ■(  ,x  . 

i'  ‘ r»fx**i  Ygftf^J  • ^2  *■  ;r -^/iMJl^ 


■ t'if 


t. 


i 

i t - \r,  4 Ic  7 '.I|^>SPX’*  4 -'-  1 


4^-J  -V  ^a-  ,1  ‘ . 7100  ixitft  4Jl"-  ■*  J‘>iCf 

• t J fr.  v'it.fjitl  -Q  ' 


Vv  <^»a  * i r f 


fAf  ♦ 


■ v‘  ' . w4i~?  'i»w 

' _ Y*!»  ' ‘ i I 

4;» 

'*%  .0 

■ '^'.: 

’•ft-i  '4' 

k-  i '„■ 

«<  : V^4 

f ^ . ■ t. 

•Xt 

' V ‘ * ' -tV,  ' 

vffJ 

k 

> ?r  -f» 

I a X 

>Xw 


« . .rf  ; 


D i*.. 


ki. 


’4«! 

v'ij 


.Ti^ 


< • - 
't* 


'T.-  ' ::^y 


.Y' 

- "iif. 


1 , aii  ?*- 


- <•%*  . * »ti“ '- . 

J i . 


• . 


9 


I 


Aa  the  sixteenth  century  advanced,  the  demand  ter  news 
became  sc  great  that  news-letters  were  no  longer  private  the 

secretary  had  becoiLe  a foreign  correspondent  and  as  suggested  be- 
fore, a profession  of  letter-writers  sprang  up.  Every  mcoi  of  po- 
sition or  fashion  had  his  news-letter-writer  as  aid  every  pub- 
lisher of  pamphlets  or  news  sheets.  These  ’writers  were  to  keep 
their  masters  well  infcrr.ed  of  all  the  latest  news  both  foreign 
ana  domestic,  ’fhitaker,  in  his  History  of  Craven  quotes  from 
the  fan:ily  accounts  of  the  House  of  Clifford  c.f  Yorkshire : " To 
Captain  Pcbinscn  for  \riting  letters  of  news  to  his  lordship  for 
a half  year,  five  pounds."^  Cc  great  was  this  thirst  for  news 
and  the  curiosity  concerning  the  world’s  ..ork  that  the  news-let- 
ters were  supplemiented  by  newspapers.  In  the  first  half  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  there  existea  according  tc  John  Nichols 
"three  hunared  fifty  of  these  sheets;  Public  News  c.nd  ^".’eekly 
papers".  The  la' ter  hw..lf  of  the  century  yielaed  a much  larger 
harvest  cf  papers  ana  the  aerana  for  news  grew  until  the  gov- 
ernment vvas  forced  to  check  the  publication  of  News  Sheets  in 

166^  for  the  ra;  id  rise  of  the  ne\.spaper  haa  : rough t with  iz  a 

2 

gre  .t  deal  cf  graft  and  rr.uch  inefficiency. 

Other  letters  continued  their  popularity  in  the  seven  - 
teenth  century  an.,  every  man  of  literary  note  indulged  in  the 
epistolary  mode  cf  expression.  There  were  letters  of  science, 

1.- Andrews,  History  cf  ’^ritish  Journ.  1 isn  . 

S.-The  attituue  of  certain  men  tovvards  tne  news  letters  and  papers 
was  not  altogether  fp.vorable.  burton  in  his  Anaton.y  of  Vielancholy 
(Edited  1647,  II,  94f f ) rem.ari. s that  the  only  class  ol  wards  tx^en 
recu.  were  plays  and  ne'^:  s-le  tte  rs,  ana  he  does  not  coirmiena  this  j.,  ra 
tice.  In  16-15,  Jenson  published  two  sdtires  on  newspapers  which 
offered  rr.any  things  to  be  satiriaea.  These  dramas  were  Ptai'le  of 
News  ana  News  from,  the  New  World  di scovered  in  the  Moon . 


1 


••V  •• 


« I 


* a ' ; r • > ' -«  •;>*.  v ‘ M S'*  'J 


tt*-  I Af’  ■*  K ’l4^-*_,-^  i i«/ 


V 


r ■ ' 


*4  \i  (“  » 


* ••  • *-  T 

’ ,.  ■ • '1  /’rCv  •■  •>. 


:.i- 


ty  tii-.M 


. . i * •#■;'".■■ 

; 1 1 ♦ .•  : A,  ‘*11^^  .-*|t3 



1* X ^ 

®f^i£r  r'  jt  f 

*x  A - 1.  ' ■ 

V -•■‘-V  ^ ■■'  - 

'^TjH 

' I*  ■•  1 li.'^ 

• 

**r^gK  »i£,*  1>*^  • X 

1^' 

HI 

1 a 


1 i.  tt.'.: '$«iiiiei«  ^^f>l4|tt»s>i4g''r'i  ..  -ci-v-'' 


bit  ..! 


' '-ivr 


^ vj;;  . 


4^. 


(.  4 t » 


>4-^ 


i '■* 
< 


'»»  t rt  • . 


. . f.  4*j  « ^ #.  .•  ,vi 

.e  'j^^j  vf-ef*.  : •*  ;i*  ^ ^:v<.  .w-(f'z  *r  tr.1  " 

k ' * . - - ’ 

< — ^ ..^',  • 


r *>  " t*  ■«•  i/- Oil- **<>  1 


-10- 

gcvernrr.ent , politics,  social  custorr-s,  religion,  i:hilosoph7,  eau- 
cation,  an^  current  events.  Such  names  as  those  ol'  Wotton,  Donne, 
Howell,  Hilton,  Temple,  Drydsn,  Defoe,  Locke,  L'Estrange,  Roling- 
hroke,  Shaftshury,  Dennis,  and  S?;ift,  stand  out  among  the  letter 
writers.  Some  idea  of  the  num-’oer  of  letters  written  and  the  sub- 
ject m.atter  may  be  gained  from  the  followin-"^  list; 

Letters  to  Lady  Panelagh  by  J . Drury.  1645. 

Two  Letters  concerning  the  Proceedings  of  Parliament.  1647. 

Three  Letters  out  ol  the  Torth  Felating  the  Manner,  Time  and 
Place  of  several  dele..t3  given  tc  tne  Enemies.  1648. 

Peliquae  v^ottcniae.  1351. 

Ko-Elionae  --  James  Powell.  16:5  (Thiru  Edition). 

Letters  to  O’-ieen  Eli.t?.beth  froir  Lord  Paeon.  135^ 

Letters  Forrein  and  Domestic  — Leveday.  1359. 

Christian  Letters  — Josejh  Uleine.  1673  - 73  - 77. 

Lette-s  to  Parliament  Hen.  1573. 

Letters  of  Phalaris  (Translation)  1379. 

The  Letters  Three.  A Young  Han  Vu,lking  forth  in  the  Merry  Tionth 
of  Hay. 

T/.o  Letters  Concerning  Trinity  anu  Incarnation. 

Letters  on  Peveral  ^uojects  by  Henry  "'ore.  1397. 

An  Epistle  to  a Ceam.an  Tailing  Heaven.ard.  1698i. 

Ceveral  Letters  between  '^vvo  Ladies  ''-'herein  the  La"  fulness  ana  Vir- 
tue 01  A.t'tiiicial  eauty  are  nicely  debated. 

Telected  Letters  in  'T'wo  Volumes  by  Brown.  17C3. 

Ei  istola  Tolerentia.  Locke. 

Letters  to  Peisna.  Toland.  1704. 


r-'’>rr^^r  *«.%f|,, -V.^ 


gf-ti  * ''•  * i . '-c  - ■^<7  J- ■•,*•<»  >IM  .*‘-i  i'.’'wtXxt' 

,V  ' ' ' ^ 


Iv 


i 


. • <j^»« 


• *.  I.  •: 


I ■ *,  * V^'ir  * % Hi-f  l>sA 


j ■ 

• -■  i*-**  1 . . u. 


1.'.  1 • 

? IV  LCiT-' 

-* 

y - 

■ ♦ ’:  3 . 

.1^’-  ‘ 

• i 

r'<it 

i 

ui: 

jffl 

>'  •' 

\ ^ ^4 

' . 1 * V' 

fmmtyji: 

i*i  -"3:^ 

■rA\  't 

■*■.■'  j;  ^ '‘^'-^’*'411  ' 
'♦1  ^ 

. r/trf  ' V .'t  -i  ■^'■^iijir^''^ 

,.  ;/'^-'.  .f  -•  -nif 

. ■ .'  a4  i':aO*eiU" 


-11- 

Letterd  cn  Enthu3ia=ir..  “^haf  ts'buri'’ . 1708* 

Letters  tc  a Ptuaent  at  the  University.  1715. 

Fan.iliar  Letters  of  Love,  'raliantry.  By  the  ^’its  of  the  Last 
ana  Present  1718. 

Fan.iliar  '^curtly  Letters.  Translated  hy  Eryv^en. 

Letters  on  ailtcn  and  Congrene . Cennis.  15S6. 

Letters  Ui:cn  Several  Occassions.  Eennis.  1396. 

/"ra^t  Letters  of  ’'onsieur  de  Balzac.  Translatea  oy  Thonias  Powell. 

This  list  of  letters  falls  far  short  of  representing 
the  entire  epistoliry  rutlic^tions  aiiring  the  l.^te  seventeenth 
ana  early  eighteenth  centuriss.  It  ^ces  not  contain  collections 
of  rr.erely  iiersonal  corres^;  ondence  but  rather  those  letters  deal- 
ing with  sore  social,  religious  or  r clitic.  1 rcbleirs  of  conteiLj.- 
crary  interest.  This  list  merely  gives  a slight  cortip  rehens  ion  of 
the  i oaularity  and  scope  of  letters. 

The  relative  importance  of  the  letter  in  this  perioa  is 
worthy  of  notice  for  it  is  evi..ent  that  the  letter  in  it=  univer- 
sal use  and  ap^-eal  must  hi.ve  been  very  influential.  The  student 
of  this  problem  finoa  that  the  letter  emerges  as  a worthy  contri- 
butor tc  the  ^.evelo,  ment  of  the  ne  .spaper,  the  familiar  or  period- 
ical ea-a'/jan.  the  novel;  the  literary  outgrowths  of  the  period 
uncier  dieenssi-.n.  After  the  ^leveloi  rent  oi  these  forn;s,  the  sub- 
jects of  the  e^^rlier  letters  v.ere  taken  over  and  tre..tea  in  therri . 
The  letter  served  then  as  an  admirable  transiti'_n  stage  because 
the  letters  hau  "no  peculiarity  but  tneir  for:!,  ana  nothing  ia  to 
be  reiv.sea  aardission  which  vvoul.>  be  proper  in  any  other  method  of 
treating  fixe  same  subject".  In  con’:ribu ting  to  the  newspaper,  the 


' _ I^IV* 

p 

J 

▼Y^ 

"rv 

!51 

^ > V ^ vr  ^ rs  ■ .T% 

•<.tf  • i’;  '^.'’  .M  $.tu,  vs:^  . j>t / ^ 


< 

'.,J  - • , • ■ ■•-  V . ‘'^  . . • il' 

'^rr-  - .-. • U»'-  T'  ' rw 

V V.  : 

^ ri-« 

4 S 


t 


• S ^ * .'J^'  . jaJ 

■J  " ^ 

“ ■ t > s.’  Tid  % £>i  'Ji,  . r.. 


'‘t 


I#' 

r* 


iCm<f  ; ;i.!li  a 


f ‘f 


»»i,. 


l.t  *ifc>£5s*; 


. 4. T^^U#  f 

V-l  rCfji'jl-  3^i.  -ai*-  >• !“ 


M > .’■  M.> ' ■ : .3  ■• 


^ ; ■.■lijl  .V  r» . 't  JB’ 


ic 


*!^:  f-ii  , V,, r 


JLa^'4_  * I ,i.’ 


» A. 


■J  3' 


X .44  Tt 


•^f'---'  i».i 


.L.  ^ ’•9#  # ■ ■‘4  di 


- v<r.«  -1%^  ^.'  C » ‘ -...C  : ' 


.^'i  - ■ ■ ■-  ^ j 

■ '.V i X it  ..i* T , •# *.  ■ >441^^  . ' f.  V V 4'V  i*  * * iWf 'J 


■*- 


^ j 


J.-,'. 


is  rr^.--4  l(C.  Jjj#<  '^•£4rv4Ji'#sfe^  T.®i'S  . »J  T ? ».  i 

V ' * '•  t .hi  ';1M*' 

■t  •» 


' ^ - > •♦i  'll.-  & -•  f.  T ‘ i - 


-12- 


essay^and  the  novel,  the  letter  narrowed  and  aefined  more  closely 
its_  own  scope.  It  was  enabled  to  serve  mere  graciously  as  a 
means  ci  social  intercourse  or  as  a concise  a.riji  eiiective  busi- 
ness meaiurn. 

Thus  in  the  history  of  the  familiar  letter  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  it  is  my  purpose  in  this  paper,  to  show  how  this 
letter  contributed  to  the  aevelo^  ment  oi  the  newspaper,  the  fan:- 
iliar  cr  peric.^ical  essay,  ani  the  novel  in  the  late  seventeenth 
ariu.  early  eighteenth  centuries. 


•4  w ♦ 


V-t>.‘>lo:^J:^5,#t^!5v'^i.  .•  ^;,i  ,.^  . . -T  .«i;'i. 

* ■■  I ■''  * 

%rh-h  i9%h-'  >sr 


* Z J 

V 


, „>  5-%.r#^: 

H-  - ^ * • 


> :•  tL  J:4‘  t'* 

' * ■ tV  ' 


-13- 


CHAPTFF  II 


'T'TTT 


J/TT’Tvp-p 


’prv  Atsirp  ^ 


All  too  often,  '■  riters  of  the  history  of  Fnglish  nevv-e- 
par.ers.  Lave  au.opted  Pen  Jensen’s  facetious  characteri:iatiori  of 
the  early  ne'/a- ri t ers  v\ith  all  the  atsur^L  s :ag.;-eration  of  the 
way  in  which  the  ne  , spay  era  ther..selve5,  v'.ere  ceny  iled.  This  e-^- 
** oo s Td ii i on  hewsv-r,  n.'^y  illastrdte  the  coiLjfiioii  opiiixon  oi  tne  liittn* 
ner  of  nev<o  introv^ucticn  cut  not  tne  true  character  of  the  oe- 
ginnings  of  jcurnalisii. . The  e^rly  ne^vs-  .riters  and  the  first 
ne.’.s  journals  .^eserve  nuch  credit  for  their  contributions  to  ino..- 


srn  journalian.  In  r:-ny  of  the  .^.etw.il:,  j ourn  lie ts  of  t«.-Uwy 

■i. 

w.re  folio-ing  the  cc’.r~e  tla^ev..  by  the  seventee 'th  centi’ry.  ^ 
Fews-let*er  writers  an.i  eui  tors  such  ''v^thw*,niel  Butter,  Rocert 
L’>' strange  an^  Haniel  lefoo.  The  news-letter  was  tae  loost  in- 
lluential  fern  an^  the  fern  root  freT.uently  modeleu  after^thw.t 
contributea  to  the  early  nev.syaiers  for  it  served  as  the  connect- 
ing link  between  the  city  ana  the  co'-ixtry.  It  v.w  s tne  news  ais- 
triouter  . citen  the  only  coirr.cn  reancj  of  con;;unication  with 
the  .vorla  heyonv^  an  irn.e.ii  te  vicinity. 

The  news  systec.  in  England  feuna  then,  its  first  form 
in  the  n--  .a-letter  which  carried  on  all  nation..!  ana  internation- 
al comnunicatione  a-?  ell  as  Iccal  ajiu  intir..jte  rel_.ticns.  The 
-ristocracy  v.hile  enj:ylng  their  country  h.u.eo  hir..^  ^ rcfeasicnal 
letter- vri ters  to  k ey  then,  iniorn.ed  of  the  fer-^ign  news,  the 
news  in  town,  at  the  fonrt,  the  theatre-,  t^.verns  and  in  social 


-14- 

circles.  Magistrates  and  ether  impertant  officia,ls  had  re- 
course tc  these  pref  e - sicni.l  let  ter-  -vri ters  while  the  diplomat 
depended  upon  the  news-letter  to  carry  cn  his  aiiairs.  The  p rc- 
fessicn  cf  nev-.s-writer  ''oscan.e  a very  good  one  socially  ^na  finan- 
cially ana  continued  as  suc^,well  intc  the  eighteenth  century  ...1- 
theugh  it  was  r.aterially  affected  hy  the  aevelo.  rrisn b of  bhe  news- 
papers. The  aristocrats  often  scernea  the  plebeian  vulg.„rity  cf 
the  printed  sheet;  they  ^referred  eKclusive  ne^'.s.  Letters  Vvere 
especially  numercus  during  the  rigi:'.  supervision  of  the  press 
that  fcllov^eJ.  the  Ress tcr^t ion,  lor  although  newspapers  vvere  cen- 
surea,  the  neus-letters  escaped  an  i thus  their  _.op'Ularity  enjoyed 
a jr.ar'kea  increase. 

Another  news  r-ongering  vehicle  of  the  early  seventeenth 
century,  Wi.s  the  ne's  p-an:phlet  which  v^iated  b^.ct  tc  the  reign  cf 
Henry  VIII.  Phe  earliest  parrpnleis  were  coirpoaed  of  but  one 
^age  bnt  as  their  popularity  grew,  they  increosea  in  si^e.  hain- 
w..riiel  Butter  atanas  cut  here  as  the  busiest  and  rr.ost  efficient 
writer  cf  pan.phle t.-. . He  was  the  lirst  to  ; rint  ne.va  oi  the  aay 
upon  a single  sheet  a.nd  tc  publish  it  at  regijlar  intervu,ls  un- 
aer  a fairly  uniforn-.  title  in  a numbered  series.  In  this  enter- 
prise he  virtually  created  and  gave  life  to  the  London  Press'*'. 

In  1622  Butler  published  a newspaper  the  Weekly  Hews  fr^n>  Italy 
G erg. any , printca  lor  !lercurious  Pritannicus.  It  ;vaa  necess- 
ary lor  hlr  to  ootain  all  oi  nis  nev.'-  a-'roao.  since  tne  publica- 
tion cl  aorestlc  political  news  wr  s lorbi  .aen.  Gcn.e  years  later 

l.-Bee  the  Introducti'^n  to  Jcn^='cn’s  Rta;  le  of  Mews . Edited  by 
Le  ^’inter,  I^ew  yorl,  19C5. 


•>r- 


. I 


»T 


1 •*  - 


*f. 

t!SS  ^ J f 

• -i » -* 

\ 

L 5 '.r 

■-«  «F 

Ii4  vi^  . 

A <K:  4.  ^ 't  iSjv 

* : 


I ' i_'  ■ 

II  ^ V’  • ’ ■ ii. ? * ^ '^ ' ; ■ 


V' 


■*  ■ 9 {♦■i-u  ■ s /;  ■#? 

" <*  •' 


. ; : i . ' . •;  ' J_  ; . . ^ - • Liii /.  f i f f | 


\'iy 

V .t>. -n.'.  . ■■  'i  ".'  ■'■ ' 

.•'4 ’A  , «: -.*>-‘1 

5-4 ^ . i ^ :•  • i.- 

\f  «V4i41 


•5*,a  . 


• i'.  ■ 

■•»  »i||l 

r J» 

T * ■ 

• iSfiN*  w : 'T 

4 . .1^ 

;•?  • 1 . , Jin  ^ . ' „i 

yJ  I’lV 

, ’4.  it  t 

. -.  . 5 '-1.''.  3 JT  W».  • :.‘>  -I 


: ,1  .-.<'  ..■ 

^.l  Ita* 


^ .'  .Ifi  *,  t.  ,'• ' ■'J  A -%■  ■'■^•lv'^v  11  “t  >■ 


4..J 


4'-. 


i* 


tj|»^  Tt^  ) 


■ * * iUi 


’t<  . 


-:i  1 'fS, 


¥ 


.’  A# 


j ■* 


i t '■ 


l..m 


-15- 

iiut.ter  took  ]:c.rt  in  the  eaiting  of  a hlet  of  five  quarto- 
pa^^'es  Warranted  Tidin^ys  fror:  Irelc-.nd.  When  the  contribution  of 
the  ne'.";3-letter  to  the  newspaper  is  considered,  the  work  of  this 
can  is  oi  especial  injpcrtance  fcr  his  newspax.er  publication's 
ccc'.e  as  'airect  outgrowths  of  his  earlier  exp-erience  with  news- 
letters . 

?crjLe  twenty  years  later,  in  1341,  the  ?tar  Chairfosr  was 
abolished.  This  act  removed  from  the  news-vriters  the  constant 
1 car  01  pi.nishment  for  the  penning  of  an  unfortunate  wor^.  The' 
freedom,  of  the  ji.resf.  gained  in  1341,  together  with  the  general 
interest  in  ne<<s,  dom:3stic  c,hd  foreign,  released  a torrent  of 
news  sheets  which  very  largely  ii=<placea  the  news-letters.  The 
professional  letter-writer  naturally  felt  resentment  against  the 
tnriving  ne'..s  journals  since  by  them,  they  were  dei  rived  of  a 
comlortable  income.  Ben  Jenson  v.rote  ci  the  nevvs;  :-q.  er  intruu.ers 
as  "hungering  c-na  tnir sting  ^r-.fter  iu^li-'hea  ft.m.phleto,  set  out 
every  Saturday  but  m-auc  all  at  hom:e  ..nd  no  syllable  of  truth  in 
them  than  which  there  cannot  be  a greater  disease  in  Tature  nor 
ocorn  j.ut  iq  on  tim;e".  Ke  .^escribeu.  ti^e  Weekly  Nei.a  afe  a "weekly 
chest  to  vira'v  r oney"  . 

These  nevvs  sheets  of  the  seventeenth  century  incluu.ed 
w.  grotesque  collection  of  Merceries  (tl.is  seems  to  h-.ve  been  the 
i- 0^  ular  nam.e  for  news  sheets}  con.sisting  oi  everything  old 

recoveries"  of  the  sixteenth  century  to  those  papers  suggestive 
of  'die  mcaern  vj.riety.  There  '^  ere  the  Muses  L'crcuri  e,  the  then- 
j;_ercur^,  bercurlua  ^ul Icus,  ’’ercur iu s ~^  ra  -T  a t Icus  and  Mercurj.ua 


i ■<i,,f^;^'‘  .;j-^^Ar?  '^*-'>'P  '>^7*  


> * 


ic^  3#^ 


l(, 


-.f  .1 


. 1t«;0l  1'/  TUM'* 

X 

. " ♦ r f.. 


i.Ti  ^.^1  •^;_,  ti'  ».|w 

''■•  V ■ ' * ,.»j 


t-'j  ^ V*  , 

..  >•  i> 

1 - * ■ ■*■  ■‘« 

‘3  *■  • ■■. 

, i ■ 

• : . 

;5.  s’*':>tit'->- ,|  ’’ 

• J 

^ 

'^T-*  e. : 

Cf*  l“VJ^i»  ■ 

’ ' V V’  1 t*M.~  r 

, ■.  ® ' 4; 

Ki^-t 

•■'■../  '-ni^-.4'' , ^ . ,M. 

: ;/‘.4  < 

*t  * *akiXi4S®.: 

Mi 

- 4f^.J  • ‘ 

«j  ■;  *.  “J  ! * *>  J 

^ " . * ' ' ^ ^ ; r \ ./  ‘ ■'f  1^“*  '*  ‘ ■ . ■ 

‘.  t ii 

a'  -■  ^ ^ 

• L.  ► a * -i  I V 

-=iJL^_.  --nr  Bifl  !^  . - 


•♦  . • 


: * f-'4t^  ^ 1 > J -t  '.  ."  M 

. k i ^ * 


J^’  filif  ► f t * 


■V 


. »>.• 


t- 


c»u»fc'*> 


‘ VI.  f!'"* 


-16- 


P 0 1 i t i cu a while  many  other  papers  haa  teen  called  originally  a 
mercury  of  acme  sort. 

After  1341,  these  papers  ran  rampant  in  their  publish- 
ing of  parliamentary  news.  As  a result,  ^f^arliament  passed  the 
Licer.sin . Act  in  1582,  which  limited  the  number  oi  the  ^.apers 
publiehea  as  well:  as  the  content.  In  this  -ict,  the  Restoration 
Government  proved  itself  to  be  not  so  lenient  with  the  press  as 
the  Governr'ient  of  the  Comm.on'  ealth  haa  been.  The  year  lollowing 
the  p.'Bsage  oi  the  Licensing:  Act,  Parliament  appointea  nocej-t 
L' Estrange,  Purveyor  of  the  "Pre^!.^,  with  "the  sole  privilege  oi 
writing',  printing,  anP  publi-^hing  all  narratives,  auverti sen.ents 
^no.  p'ercuries"  . He  conducted  the  two  official  newsp-ap  ers/  The 
Intelligencer  an^  The  News . This  Government  legislation,  how- 
ever, wee  ineffective  in  supp-re  ssing  the  nev  s enthusiasts  and 
their  papers.  This  l-..ck  of  success  v.as  due  in  part  to  the  fact 
that  almost  witnout  exception,  cveav  literary  mian  of  the  late 
seventeenth  century,  useu  his  pen  in  v^evelcping  the  newspa^.ers. 
Asa  rale,  the^e  literary  men  made  their  contributions  under 
pseuuonyrrs.  The -.e  sar.e  literary  m.en  asked  questions  of  the  Mer- 
curies for  enlightenment,  en^.  they  were  also  interesteu  in  answer 
ing  the  queries  of  others.  It  was  through  the  chi.nnel.s  of  "Ques- 
tiona  ana  Answers"  t:u;.t  the  n.en  oi  let:ers  showed  their  keen  in- 
sight into  hum.an  nature  an.,  their  'j.i  i recic-.tion  of  social  prob- 
lems— the  interests  which  ro«e  very  naturally  fron,  the  intin.ate, 
controversial,  gossiping,  '.n.\  iniellectual  life  oi  laose  aays 
anu  nights  s]  ent  in  the  Pol i ee-housee  which  ch;.racterii.eu  the 
reign  of  Queen  Anne  an.  the  period  ; reesaing. 


,%-r-  ' , '’.'•Ajr 


' ■■  ,■■  ■ i>*- 

i( 

^ f| 


1 • ▼ ■ ‘IS  ' 


> - 


H . 


u 


,;  I--  , « 


^ •.»  ;*jp 


m 


«- 

-;e  . ' 


. T --  •■  * '•  ■ X>  n 

\-  ,-ns  ■ - > • 1 

*t.s  ^ ^ ■r' 

. »:  4.^  .afea: 

i ' .’SriX^a,! 


4v'r 

<X.  ::: 

lilt  i*ttX*  '*'5’V‘> 


' ?? 


' 1.  ' .•L-.rt  -7LM, 


»Vii 


f^f  <?v^  •*  ^ ''  ■■^'‘\ 


' f 


1^  ->•■  ♦ - ^ *>,  ' i 4?«‘  t'  ‘ ^ 

if t ^' , jr .■’  • .-^ ' wm 

• ' V 

» ■ X .1 

► " f ' tLi’' 


, •■  - •••^  '■  •'  ■ w, 

_:  =• ' 

" t J»t* 

.?■  ;: 

< ■ , ►''.  ' , ^ 

r '5“  " 

' ^.■^  t in  ,1 


■>  ■■* 

_ I ? : .'  > -ifl- 

jfl  . 

■ *»  ■>  f 

‘1  ' ' 

'r  Ir^ 

• *i»’  *•  r-*t 

V 

; ■ If 

1.  . ■ r T . 

' JW 

, 

*.■:  x>  _ 

-.t- 

^ V¥  lO,,  . 

* 

•>  ?! 


,.■■■  ti. 


m 


•♦r  ' ■■ 


S 1 'i  - A . ■ \ ■-  ^ 

^ - • ■ - ^’  . ■ .» 
h *;j.i  ■ ^ .■*  I ^.Xit  Cm 


•-;  '• « * . -I i 


" ’ * ■ ’■■‘■'  ! ■ ' 

. ».  . r ••  ax'#.'*.,  ** ' -W  **,U  / !’!>  • 


- iV  ; 1'^*  t r- 

£ ■ ^ 


f 


''U 


Irv 


:';  t.'* 


, I »■ 


#.  «•.  .. 


i.  ^•*,,.  i .-- ' 


,4:^. 


'i  I ■ •;  ' ■ 

f,  A-'  P 


/ 4 JL»  4i^n»  « V'  ■ W ..*41^. 


;j '"  t?A  ' ■ ^ tcKii'  't  .» 


r ’»^ 


■■  ' ••''l.’l.H,  Jt*  *.':'  .-!»  ■ 

* ' ** 

# ' • ' fii  i 2 

■ ai'  !‘l '■  ' 

Jt* 


-17- 

Acccrding;  to  cns  vrri'ter  of  this  period  there  Vvare 
''5CCC.  of  these  nuisances"  at  cne  opening  oi  tne  eighteenth  cent- 
ury. However  these  coffee-houses  yossessed  great  literary  sig- 
nificance and  influence.  "^hev  were  veritable  n^agic  calarons  of 
news — ever3'’thing  carre  up  lor  its  share  cf  discussion  at  the  cof- 
fee-house. The  frequenters  of  ~he  ccf fee-houses  entered  with  the 
question,  "l?/hat  ne  s have  you,  I/'aster?’’.  "None"  would  have  been 
an  inconceivable  reply.  H^'ery  type  ana  eve.ry  class  were  regular 
visiters  lor  it  was  true  that 

"■^ou  i?ay  see  there  what  faehiens  are 
How  periwigs  are  curled. 

Ana  for  a ^.-snny  y.u  rray  hear 
All  novels  in  the  < orld. 


The  gentle  ce£u,  too,  joins  in  wise  aecate 
Aajusts  nis  cravat  ana  relcrns  the  st^.te."  ^ 

Although,  these  rhyr.es  give  i-,  clever  ; icture  cf  the  nore 
auperiicial  liie  of  tiie  cell  ee-houses,  they  ao  not  snow  that 
these  resorts  cont-.inea  iniinitely  mere  than  curled  ^eri/>(lgs  and 
gentle  ..eaua.  '^uch  men  as  Hwift,  Tteele,  Ad..cison,  Dryaen,  Heloe, 
ana  Pope,  irec.uentea  tiiese  ] laces.  In  fact,  tne  atmosp  .^ere  of 
the  coffee-houses  the  whole  of  the  literature  cf  Queen 

Anne's  reign.  The  literary  ta.-.tes  of  the  town  v.ere  directed  ana 
ri.anipAilated  by  the  coffee-house  deirdgoas  holaing  lorth  at  Will's, 
at  Wnite's  or  at  tne  urecian  . tjotn  ueioe  ana  ciwixt  naa  con- 
ceivea  tne  luea  of  an  English  ^caaemy.  The  coilee-house  to  a cer- 

1.- Lob  ban’s  Fncrlish  R'saays  - London.  P.  XXI. 


L V' 


-.vl- 


:^J 


. T ■'»  ;„  - ‘»-- 

y ; , ‘ .;■''  * 

x^nmK'  -Vit  \>  f 1:,  , 

c-  •;  1'.  •'.■^f 


* % 


■\*  -Ti 


'I  : 


V 


',’*.  4 . ni ' •»  f- . ..'  V i ? " 

>v  • i;r 


— jv.--,., . 


* S.T  ' 


. : '1-i  * ^ ; 


'.11-9  ilifeir 

'fe  -'*< 

*5!  tv  >-,5  i ^ ' 


. Vf9  ^'KlA  *■ 

♦4*'-  •■  :•  ■ 


• -*  < . ' 'Ct* 


' -fc 


♦'•t' 


.nj  0^ 

1 


m' 


: 4,'gV. 


K*'  ^ 


r!.  ■ 


^ '1^ 

*T 


.^J:^.'  «y?  fl4' 


iito'. 


;,  ^f»'v  ’.ii  « C >;*!•:: 

* * ' , b — - 

- ■ ■ ..^ 


-i  A'^rjp-;  - * 4 <iilri  wS>»  * i£*;A 


■.NA.  «*4^rt«r 

i I 


,;4. 


'.  % 


f-  •»  ; . f •♦ 


i**  ,-fn.l  f: 


-«ur  r • i I ,*  k.a^  , 


■ -J  • ol/iy  J- 


-,1/  SO  -OJ  - - ^1, 


^ ■ ■ ‘ i,  . . ■' 

.^A/*,-  . ■. ., ii; .li/ y ^^>J .ti*  v>.  <»*tj[  ^jsrr 

• * \ -,  ^ 

' ■*  • 4 V ‘ ‘ 

iJ  * ki'4  i-i#  •■':■•*».  -1  ^i’J:.!’':*  ■ *,*ii  e .-^  u , i;-r'>4’' V'ifflr 


'1 


>v^.,  'li«  t iW:*-  -/>.  g>.,.-  ,V.  10  • 

*■  • ‘ . .*  ■- ' |i 

->-'■  -9 f\{ji^ . * . -i  iiri.A.i  .w‘  i- 

’ ii  -j-  * 

' ^'’  * ?' 


..,i  Ccf 


-j  - ^ 

■4; 


• ■^— 


,<-  - 

-■  — t 


•>* 


< 

« - A . «• 


tain  extent  was  the  realization  oi  tho.t  conception. 

The  pcsoitilities  for  gaining  information  at  the  coffee- 
houses anci  similar  cluhs  is  vividly  set  fortli  hy  a news-letter 
writer  in  the  Fpectator  525. 

"In  order  to  ri.ake  myself  useful,  I am;  early  in  the  anu±- 
cham;ter  where  I thrust  n.y  head  into  the  thick  ci  the  prest>  and 
catch  the  news  at  the  opening  of  the  door  while  it  is  warm^ 
Fometimes  I stand  cy  the  beefeaters  ana  take  the  as  it 

passes  ty  ii.e — a.t  other  tiHiSs  I lay  m.y  ear  close  to  the  v\a±l  and 
such  in  m.an'''’  a valuable  whisper  as  it  mins  in  a straight  line 
from  corner  to  corner.  ’^Tien  I an:  weary  of  s tanking  I repair  to 

one  of  the  neighboring  coffee-houses  anu  lorestall 

the  evening  post  by  two  hours." 

Ae  centers  of  ne'vs,  the  col f ee-housee  enccuragea  the 
nev*spc.pers.  The  f rerpuenters  of  the  coffee-houses  u.iscussea  and 
then  gave  forth  the  news  "ith  their  particular  interpretive  col- 
oring. Th'^irs  was  a p owerful  influence  in  as  much  as  it  guia.ed 
the  opinions  of  the  day  and  allied  itself  with  the  aevelopmient 
of  the  perio-^ical  essay.  It  was  therefore  eminently  natural 
for  the  e^irly  essayists  on  the  lookout  for  a simple  aevice  by 
which  to  give  some  degree  of  unity  to  their  loose  sallies,  to 
ccvail  them.selves  ol  this  p reborn  ina ting  feature,  the  coffee- 
houses as  a background  for  what  they  wrote. 

From  1621,  the  tim.e  marking  the  ap^  e.-rance  of  the 
Feei»  ly  News,  until  the  close  of  the  century,  the  numoers  of  the 
news  sheets  hcid  increased  in  a remarkable  way  although  there  hau. 
not  been  a great  advance  in  the  fcrr  of  the  nevvs  eheeta.  In 
ldo3,  Pccert  L'Fstrange  putlishea  weekly,  the  Intelligencer  , the 
flr-t  p,aper  authorize-.,  by  the  governm.ent  unaer  the  Licensing  Act. 

1. -Taken  fromi  a letter  a cdrefcsei  to  ¥r.  'Spectator. 

The  Srectator  Nov  25,  1714. 


uj  S.-  w/ri. 


• i # ♦ ^ 

■»  ■»•*■  -'■  w - C'  a„  ..•  i\^.'  xm 

t ^ ^ •». 

• ' *2'©,. 

- * , t 4-  * ■ 

: ^•'•/5-IK - , I, , .j().  -.s^-  , ^ -jVif»fr9  >v 

K , re?  - ,»  * ■ ( ''  * «Ji . 

'I'.u  i- 


'•Mt  ■ k fo .-mi^ti  1 ■* A* 


V 

''  . -V  ,'  * fw'  7:^':vt’ 5Vj6ff,  j; 

‘ " *:j.T  :L»i-,.n>n  . , 

v.!r  . i^-  -i  *'^r't.r:.  1*,  *?  *^^.■’7^^ 

* it'?  -T^  fcfi  .,  “ ^■^•£  I ^ 

<f  ^'Zi  * '•  r- 

* - '■  ^~'  '•«»  .;  ji.i# 

;•- >.  I ;v.?-.r'  4.  ; i.  5 vXk^--.'::. 

•v*$  ';  > 1,  t«  - * ■7i#’4l''-.  ” ■ ; ■ f\. 


» J«-v 


■“«  V i i • 


■ )u  - J • ' , , ; 
■■'  ♦ 


•■  4<*,v  •> 


-.^••  1*.  t it  ?»  8i>- .^'i 


'L'z  C : 


i-'^T  r -u.  T .*  V 

•*■  . r'"''X' 


* ^ t r-  T I / -5;^  4-  f, . '.  ^<8^M'k  A * ■ •%  -i-  A#« ; 


> Z-tjL 


. t r 


-I 


■ 'i^'  ' i ‘I*  : ^ ,6-  31 

;rt^  " •^V4;W?I|| 


!#►'  *'k*C 


» X *'-.  ' 


r : 


•.  **-  /* « * ik  > 


-ijy 


r. 


i*  <j*_ 


Thi  a 


-19- 

pai:er  -.vhich  charrpioneci  part]'-  politics,  suggsotel  the  n.olern 
, nevv3x:arer  in  its  direct  ir.anner  oi  presenting  ne-.vs  as  facts.  Two 
years  later  the  Intelligencer  took  the  name  of  Oxford  Gazette 
and  finally  just  the  nane  Oaite tte,  in  each  case,  the  pai:er  con- 
tinued to  "^e  ''printed  v\ith  authority". 

The  London  Gazette,  which  thrived  fcr  a number  cf  years, 
v'.'o,s  mt:de  up  cf  short  ne;.s  j.aragra':hs  concerning  foreign  and  lo- 
cal interests.  The  material  lor  this  paper  was  gained  from  let- 
ters which  often  aipearsa  in  the  paper.  Luring  this  period,  the 
gust  for  comment  upon  political  and  religious  situations  increasea 
until  that  when  cny thing  in  lighter  vein  Wi  s attempted  it  was  apt 
to  appear  in  the  fcrr'  oi  m:ock  news  and  dep-enaed  for  its  appeal 
cn  the  satirical  or  burlesciue  handing  of  its  items  and  anec- 
dotes. As  a result  side  by  side  with  the  ]_:ai:ers  "printed  with 
authority"  were  ; rinted  the  L!er euros  Inf  ernus  and  ^-rewa  from  Par- 
ns.asus  cf  purely  jocular  and  facetious  intent.  Following  the 
accession  cf  William  III,  religious  and  :;olitical  squables  les- 
sened. As  a result,  peoj  Is  took  mere  interest  in  periovu.iCw.ls 
that  tonded  twway  from’  fw.cticnd  aiscussions  toward  the  literw.ry 
mwwgaxine.  Such  a paper  a.s  tlie  London  Gazette  lost  some  of  its 
poxularity  in  favor  cf  the  Athenian  Oracle  , Gentleman ' a ila, ;a- 
and  Town  Talk  of  the  early  eighteenth  century.  However 
newspapers  still  flourished  as  did  the  nevvs-letter  both  printed 
and  in  manuscrix-t  form;.  These  letters  continued  cn  sale  through  - 
cut  the  first  quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century,  for  country 
corres^ cnaence;  often  with  apace  left  at  the  beginning  and  ena 
for  the  personal  address  ana  private  item.s  of  news  and  with  a 
blank  fourth  p^b®  vvhicn  served  as  an  envelope. 


•=1 


r T..  -^ 


''%rr  .' 


1 fU:  . !• 


V.:  rii  - V : • : x*L,- 


.,#  L ‘-^1 


■-.  ' .ilii 

••v,  1^  • u’ 


• ^<» 


* 4»f;  ,k-  •’ 

4-  ‘-V? 


. - . ^ > -V  '3i  .i>zs-  , ■ -fC  1 J ' 

. . ..  \^rUviV^^■  ij  “itVL  X X i^rtXI 


V'.^  ,i^>.“in  t.- 


S 


i.-*  ®? 


uXlt 


- ^ M'  i - i ' . •’  -^-J  J 


■ -i.-. 


-e  > *. 


, ....  $ a-'^a  ’ *-  » '^20  , ',  *■  ^ 

•;  .■♦♦*  ■;''**“  jj' jl’  C ‘-i  J^’- Ci-  '^'X. 

ii,.  ''«•*  171^’  . - i 

V i^- ! -ii'9 ^ t/4c  ^ « - ' < :*■ 

^ ir'  ! ^ - •-  ■ ■' 


^ ip  ^*c.p  ■■  - ••■1 , - • . - - ^ -i  ‘ t >a 

V4l 

• ':  -r:  ..  o 


TV* 


- y 


■*.  '-i 


. X- 


-i  X 


4-i.  (iwiJiiBiwpwi  •-*> 

■'  'i  ' ‘ i| 


:i- i 


i ■^•'* 


J 


• ■<■ 

#•  . Wi^'1 


Tl-  ‘^' 


* ■• . «■  , • j 

juifv  ’ * ' 


, --.-n  fu:3 

-4 

. -4  ,X*.ai>nv  I % r '/I 


jib  : '-ula.*."*  - J 


t*  ' r <k<4  ♦ 


J . 


-20- 

In  169C,  John  Dutton  began  the  publication  of  a penny 
paper.  The  Athenian  Oracle  which  was  the  realisation  of  his  or- 
iginal idea,  of  combining*  information  with  news.  Dutton  aescribed 
this  paper  as  "a  schem.e  to  answer  a series  of  -questions  monthly; 
the  Querist  being  concealed".  Besides  discharging  the  rather 
stupendous  task  of  answering  these  questions  Dutton  publishea 
lists  of  bocks  suggestive  for  "the  study  of  various  subjects  such 
as  history,  aivinity,  poetry;  English  and  foreign".  This  paper 
Ww.3  of  real  value  possessing  literary  quality  as  well  as  news 
itsn.s.  Literary  men  ,\ere  glad  to  furnish  m.aterial;  Ten.ple,  Tate, 
Defoe  and  Swift  were  contributors  to  the  Athenian  Oracle . In 
17C3,  these  papers  were  ccliectea  and  ^.ublished  by  a Bookseller 
who  told  the  ^ec.der  that,  " ' twas  a '^reiit  Pity  a Project  so  uni- 
versal and  so  informing  should  dye  and  never  be  revived,  espec- 
ially seeing  the  Common. ealth  cf  Learning  woula  be  the  greatest 
sufferer  in  that  case". 

The  Athenian  Oracle  was  described  as"being  an  entire 
collection  cf  valuable  ?,uestions  ana  answers  in  the  old  Athen- 
ian -'ercur'"  interrr.ixed  with  other  things,  to  which  is  added  an 
alphabetical  table  for  the  speedy  finding  oi  any  questions". 

The  queries  widely  Vi.ried  from.  "Can  Fishes  be  su,id  to  breathe" 
to  .hether  or  net  the  "torments  of  the  aac.ned  are  visible  to 

the  o«_ints  in  heiven"  or  again  whether  or  not  "oeparate  sjuIs 

retain  their  individuation  or  are  all  turned  into  one  ccmri.on 
soul".  There  we're  questions  of  love,  honor,  iiome  problems  w-uid 
cures.  Questions  were  not  only  ^ opulu.r  but  they  seemied  tc  be 
chronic  in  the  ^^ctive  .'^^in  e oi  the  men  crowding  the  cof i ee-heuses 

w^nxious  to  h...,ve  their  pet  queries  anawersa  by  a rinteu  oracle". 


-I 


i 1.-  ...  . , 

^.1! 

^ :\iM  ' l.‘Si.  nu 


iV,.'V  IT? 


■ uC  -i.JlnA  A i' 


* 4 


i'*  - • j.  > 

v>  .".  J»  .V  ;v-rf 


' i- -r-  :-  , 

■*  , ' ‘..  * - 


'*-»L 


0^. 


♦aw  -.w^ 


1-1  tl>  r Tif  /e  .4  fiMi 

■:.-  - ^ ’ ■ " ^ ‘ 

4.v'^-Si>  i*,r^  tvit«<*M  •• 


A '^3  ^ V 

4.:  . My’:  ...4.,^  ^nJfc'.  . '"Taivi  .vilrtr- lii  >4 

■lea  '<«  * " 1’ — i(  _ j;  |... ,' » ■*  jZ  >C’X*i7  ©»••» 

* ^i..  •«  . „X^,  #n#«-  a»-9  • • '-ol' 

o..;  *.  ..'  ■,  *.  :i?i  0 


Sfr  ' 


^ « 


♦ tw  t ♦ i-  5 2 UU'  . ' V ^ 4 1-  XCfr  3fl: ! rt  • u 4- 

A.;:- 


'I 


. ♦‘•'y -Jt  --■•  J 3..^  I itoOiaj  g 


*':« 


■ *1^ 


-o  - . i^__  „ . . ....  _ _ — . , 

'Lii'i 

* i * 


V9  « ,y 


*r  4 


."r-^ro.  ‘4«li,.^ 

■'>. 

-A  - W .‘.  tilr.-  ;aT 

. ..£*'*  £To^i^ 


»"»»*  .4  « ' 


^ u- 


n 


:.i  p-  u»A  tfittX^i 

s'  ' 4/'  ■ ^ ■ 

'••*♦^0  A-i^  I-*'  - 

«»•  '«&*^^**  Jliif - .j" 


" \ ■ ■ . = ■"  '-  ■ 


p. 


♦ . i 

■ j '.'  -i I ' -'  ®id(* 


jj.'v-.  >i-'T  ..‘j,-#<w-/N  At; 


. .a  ■ * ■?i“^-  ■»  j ^ 


m 


v"  1 


rrl 


.*i' ,' 


2 .'•*  ^ ^;4  (-:^ii 


V • 


-21- 

Nc  Ciussticn  was  too  absurd,  too  trite  or  too  r hiloso^.hical,  to  be 
wUisvvered  by  John  Tutton's  Oracle . As  the  pai,er  flourished,  it 
became  more  literary  growing  toward  the  j.eriodicc.1  essay.  A 
similar  tendency  is  also  noted  in  the  Oentleman ' s J ournal  and 
is  exerr.r  lii iea  elsewhere. 

The  Oentlemo.n ' s Journal  was  not  however,  of  English 
origin.  In  1392,  Peter  ^^.nthony  Ectteaux,  a Frenchman,  plannea 
and  develoj  ed  this  ’ ajer.  Jor  the  work,  he  foun^  a i:rototyps 
in  ^ Her  curie  Oalant , a monthly  j;.ai:er  a^yearing  in  Paris  in 
IB'^S  —1374  ano  from.  13’^8  — 16'~9.  This  was  a ndscealany  th^^t 
owevj.  its  ;Oi.ul^rity  to  the  prominsnce  ■.■.hich  it  gc^ve  to  court 
news,  light  bits  of  g .llantry,  a few  songs  eet  to  music,  -nd  a 
few  engri*vings.  Each  number  a;  y oared  in  the  forir.  of  a letter 
to  a la.dy  who  haa  gone  from  Paris  to  the  yro vines s but  who 
wishes  to  kee;  in  touch  -ith  the  "beaux  esirits".  hotteaux 
states  that  ^ "'ecurie  his  in-;  iration. 

In  the  title  of  his  ^a;  ?r.  The  Gentleman's  Jouriio.1 
or  h on t h 1 / i s c e 1 lw>n y , "By  way  of  Letter  to  a Gentleri;an  in 
the  Feuntry,  Consisting  of  Fames,  History,  Philosoyy,  Poetry, 
Music,  Transl..ti  :na,  etc.','  Fatteaux  ex^-recses  l.is  intention  vf 
using  the  e;  istolary  forD..f  . bach  number  of  tne  Journal  begins 
like  a ; ereond  letter  to  seme  corres^  ondent  and  each  is  signeu, 
"I  t Sir,  Your  Most  Hnrole  “Servant,  ^.h.  (P-ot-.r  hatteaux}  . 

"'hen  c.  new  corrvs;  ondent  -.as  in*:roAiced,  I'atteau.x  often  em;  loyed 
a few  lines  of  editorial  exylanation  in  order  to  connect  the 
content  of  the  ;.aper,  raking  it  more  consistent.  In  recogni- 
tion of  the  difficulties  in  rr'aintaining  coherence  while  adher- 
ing strictly  to  the  letter  forr:,  Matteaux  stated,  "It  is  im- 


x.v.  V'  f>;> 

‘-r  : 5i-.  -.w;!-  ; 


*s-  ■"  ■ ' . ^ 

' 


4 • 


- 


.T-r  t ^-r  <ii  t's  •:  : 

:'  ‘ \ 

.>;^.l  4'1'S  .1 


t 


:•*•  1”  > . t 

• i " ^ . . 


^ •!  7".  . * 


ir 


* • ■ • ♦: 


0 * iF  ■ ■ 

(1j|  5* ' .,  <i  - T&i 


^li  ■ I '•  '>4  ;■♦.  ► s M‘  »■’  fii ' 


1®  i , ^ i*  • ^ 

’41?  • V .,  fv 


■%.^..  . 


o . .^r  i's\p%!f  fi3f' •* 

'#■  .t*-  <».ii  ' rt, 

>.  _ . • 1-  ^ 

ft',#.  * ♦■^V*l^  ■ • 


• la  » 

■ 


■i<ai 


£S 


--1I-1 


»V''  i-' 


.-  y •.  » 

f ‘ * ' r * 


i ‘1 


-t  h » ' 


- 4i-,A9 


** 


T'"  t.4>- 

- ..  4,«  ;■»  .;  :n 

ri  4t' 

J 

4 * 

:®. 

. .•»»>»% 

’-ti^  - 

4 

V 

*•-4^ 

w-V..  - 

* 

' , ^ *1*'^  *iV"^*-'  ' 

? 3‘*i' 

••  • 

22- 


pOBsi’ole  to  kee]:  any  order  in  letter  such  as  mine  is.  I an;  ob- 
liged to  fall  from  serious  matter  to  some  of  quite  a different 
nature.”  ?-hile  .cverccming  these  t rcbleir.s,  he  beconie  a master 
hand  in  the  use  of  editorial  transitions. 

Althou^’h  some  of  the  material  of  the  Gentleman’s  Jour- 
nal  was  trivial,  there  was  much  that  was  reprssisntative  of  the 
age.  The  paper  contained  a great  many  literu.ry  criticisms, 
bock  reviews,  announcements  of  new  books,  ana  aramatic  notes  of 
special  interest.  Certain  critics  give  to  this  magazine  a . Iw.ce 
;:.3  the  first  English  rr;a<raiine  cl  light  literature  that  offers 
a parallel  to  the  modern  magazine  of  a similar  nature,  in  as 
much  as  this  paper  preceded  the  Tatler  seventeen  years  ana  the 
Cv.  rctttt  .r  nineteen  years. "*■ 

In  summ.ing  u^  the  important  char- cterist  ics  of  this 
mag^iiine,  it  may  be  noted  that  the  Gentlem.an ' s Journal  wiu.s 
up  entirely  of  letters;  the  editorials  as  well  the  m.ore  triv- 
ial items  of  news,  appearing  in  the  epistolary  form.  The 
^eal  of  this  paper  was  almost  nniversw-l.  It  '.v^vS  broad  in  its 
interests  ana  it  preosnted  these  interests  adjTiirably.  Lastly  , 
this  journal  \as  tending  sc  rap  illy  to.ara  a literary  magazine 
th^t  it  may  be  called  a lit-r.ary  paper  as  well  as  a news  paper. 

!''at  teaux’ s excellent  use  of  the  letter  continued  the  popularity 
of  thc.t  for!'  in  journalistic  work. 

"^he  ye^^re  f -llowing  the  public-.tion  of  the  Gentleman ’ 3 
Journal,  the  Poet  Boy  and  the  Fly in ■ Post,  single  news  sheets, 

Tory  and  Fhig  respectively,  appeared  published  Tuesday,  T'hurs- 

1. -Fester,  rcrcthy,  Furly  "Precureors  of  Our  Present  Day  Misceilw.ny 
hodern  Lan<nia,-..  gu';  It  cat  ion,  KXXII^ 

BeS^S9eaBm^aeSaMaaBaBB9Ba=BBSS9S9BSOBB9!^B^B9SBeBSSSa9BBSEBSSXSBBBBaBBaaHMaaeB^B^^B99a 


■ -■  ■■■  ■ ' . a 

t - . -jt , I * » f o-'t 

:..r^v$jM^!'  -‘- 'fi^'i't  ;:-.^  •i"  ^4^ 

* ■ ;.' HfJ.  -i-*^  " 

If '^lii-  nui|^ 


. ^ • ..  j5  <•  *S*  !!»^-  S iC  V?  - '' 


• ?■  •■- 


/ 1 : « 


"<;‘.*,sa:ir-*<  5^  , 


■s 


*4-3  ‘•‘.V  •>  - 


:iV  •^I.!'  * - r.;:.  ’isa  * ^ h ' ••  ; 

f #■**! 


f - >' 


1 i'JS*  , , 

* ‘-i^.-i*  - •*  i S'  1^ 

« 

,V'  ..  *7> 


W&it-''--  -'C  tt». • * 

t-  '■  *'  ' - . X ‘ ' 

'■'  t 


s'\. 


- -^S  « t !^i;'-0  ik j| < • *•  C -A^  ^ *' 


■<*  '’f'- 


-v; 


'-V-V 


ik-^* 


♦ *- 


»L  , - .■•^■<*(L#-  • - ^iJiJ  /t1*'  ^jjjll|' **•'''  -*'-»■**  1-*  ;'■  ^ 


. .?  ■ >v-j:,,r.  . :.t^  ii,% 

. X -1^  ^ -T  ‘^U  ■"»*•  ■- * 4^ 


r-— ..  ;■  t ; 


. . . ■^♦-  I 


1 1 


f \ - 


I . <2®  t I* 


‘fV 


^J£ 


fc  ^ 


r. ' . - /'■•-:  1 


#>■  «f 


jtL*  u I I4  var^-  * 


■ fri] 


• ' r 


.. — 


■'T.  i 

-■  - Jf» 


♦ • - * ■ ■-.■"! 

■ — -1-^ 

' - * - *'  ‘ -;  r 

ev.  J . i 


. ,A  ■ , |jk^  N ■-  


-33- 

Da,y  ana  Saturday.  Th^se  papers  which  aealt  in  dome 8 tic  and 
foreign  n3'-.s,were  distinctli*  nev^opax  ere . News  was  printea 
very  informally  and  in  the  style  an^  conversational  tone  of 
the  letter  even  though  the  letter  fonr.  was  not  adhered  to  in 
every  case.  The  following  ne '.s  items  depict  the  general  style 
very  successfully;  "On  Thursday  last,  we  rsceivea  letters  from. 
Colonel  Lillings tome  dated  in  the  “Spanish  tcv^n  in  J...m.aiCc.,  the 
second  of  September,  vvith  the  p .rticul..rs  of  his  expsaition  a- 

gainst  Hispanola  in  conjunct  ion  with  the  Cpani.-ras. He 

dignifies  that  he  took  C-.pe  Foansway  where  he  founu  5?  pieces 
of  lo.rge  cannon.  The  letter  ^dds  that  the  Colonel  u,nd  -vll  his 
men  .^re  healthy  but  u,  on  their  first  coming  to  the  islana,  he 
w.nd  sever-.l  of  hie  m.en  v ere  sick."  All  the  foreign  news  thus 
CwJi.e  to  ’"nglan.i  in  lette.s  -nd  was  pu'*lished  in  ;-n  e;  iatol-.ry 
style,  '^hese  papers  o^. -med  the  w.-.y  for  the  first  English  aaily 
nev<spw.p  er . 

The  initio.l  ye.-r  of  the  eighteenth  century  seemed  to 
foreshadow  better  things  for  the  professional  vriter  bec.^use 
of  ne'v  ccnuiticns  in  the  book  ana  newspaper  trades.  The  j^i- 
censing  Act  lapsed  in  1695  am  from  that  tic.e  on  there  mi 
increasea  relaxation  on  the  part  of  the  government  towards  ,,  ro- 
feasional  -..riters  ar.u  their  work.  Mew  iui.liahing  houses  aj.pearea 
as  well  as  an  increasea  number  of  publications  but  cpji.'osea  to 
these  favorable  conaitions,  there  still  remained  the  deadening 
influence  of  private  patronag-.  which  was  being  repl^ccea  to  some 
extent  in  the  subserviency  of  authors  to  political  leaaers.  All 
news  periodicals  such  as  the  Fl'^ln  ^o  . t anu.  the  Post  Boy  ^ro- 
bably  had  secret  subsidies  from,  political  machines  ana  their 


rt 


,«■  r r?A"  a*'"'* 


f-£nt-  ' A#-j.  -‘Cr  “ 

-fl  ■ 


T ^\  itfli.  144j#«3|^-'  'C^OV 


^ ^ 4 • c '*'t.  ’1^''  *^X 

■ . '»■!»  ' " ^ ^ 


'1:  r.v  ‘f  ..  ^;r  .tri.*^^-  /.i  1^.  . * 

•J  ‘ Li 7i..  fc.  ic  ‘ 

■ ;.^ •_  , - -^‘'  - ; .1'i-  iK?^  i . 

•*“  « 

- -vks' 


■ ! ' f ■•* 


' W’l  . 

.■'  ■ 'h  ' :t\  .^4  t.ifti  . V 


- - *■  i#4. 

♦« X ^ *'*  * 

- -»  l^i^ 

r/m/ 


I,t.‘.*i-  rrliT  ; ly 


•tJ  * t ,.  * » .'-- 

. ' . V ?.  ■ .t ' 

■"  J 

*:  rftlP 

. . z *39 tJ  -■“  . ij; 


- 


4.1-- 


.7  .::^' 


.^:  iQ  _ ^ :«J-L 

3 

- X'oipXilQpj 

.r»  L!t{^U  <1-  *-  *4^ 

. : 5.0 


■<"d«\%''i 

. . . -T'^  '***?^*  ■ t - ^ 

-ir  "V,  i-.c-  •■::i  ' JL  ._  • 

....  - 

1 <»  j| 


*j  .T1..14.**,-?  ■-  it » •5’  9 *a®ir*.Xi 

:^JL  m:  • '-^  •■^-  s.  f^x 

.'"T.j  ■ >*  , 

-\  f** 


. * ’ 


? . *..r 


■^<4 


24- 


i- r c *rity  due  in  pnrt  to  this  us  well  as  the  y of 

1 . 
nev;u.  Alrenuy  the  voice  of  the  f, ress  hau  become  a voice  oi 

pov. er  to  be  reckoned  with  in  the  ]:olitical  world. 

The  first  LLecade  of  the  eighteenth  century  witnesaea 
a remarkable  growth  of  the  newspaper  in^Jt-Ustry.  In  17C2,  the 
Ew.il.'  Courant  was  rublished  for  the  first  time  opening  the  fidu 
for  daily  newspapers  in  Fnglan-t.  In  the  beginning  this  paper, 
maue  Up  in  large  part  of  translations,  could  p roviae  news  0- 
ncugh  but  for  one  side  of  a sinrle  sheet.  The  other  sine  was 
soon  fillca  with  advertisements  anu  some  news.  It  continued 
in  this  forn  until  1735  un..er  the  control  of  a very  versatile 
writer,  Samuel  Buckley. 

'^’vo  years  after  the  first  appearance  of  tj'.e  Daily 
Courant,  Daniel  Defoe  came  forward  with  his  Peview  which  he 
published  unaidea  ■'jntil  1713.  His  -p^re  h.-ve  never  been  re- 
printed from  the  original  ei_:.t  vclames  anl  su- p lementary 
ninth  vcl’nr.e  preserved  in  the  ’British  Huseum.  The  Be  view  was 
a gre  t success  for  Pefes  was  a master  of  Journalistic  art  in 
aux  its  branches.  In  fact,  he  ^evelo^  eo.  the  prpt':type  :f  the 
le^din^  article  in  his  sc-Cc lied  "Letter  Intrcauction"  written 
upon  some  subject  of  general  interest  anu  ^ l-CCa  at  tne  com- 
iiiencerent  of  each  nun'.her.  /Itnourh  in  his  B^eface  to  Vol.-urne  I, 
Defoe  anncunced  that  he  did  not  ;ish  to  receive  letters  to  oe 
..nowered  in  the  Be  view,  he  not  only  used  the  letter  form  but 
_l-:o  the  letter  sfyle  .n.,  ..iction.  He  exemp  lifiea  belief  in 

l.-^tevens,  b _ rty  7 oil  tics  ^n  ""n-lish  Journalism  17C.^  - 


42.  ISlo. 


ti^iS:  4T  ■ . •■*.  1*  9C2  V »;T:  ''Joi 


» t 


Ss;45i3i'i ^.1.^  -t  .:?>  ^♦3WS3’^'' ^ 


1» 


I •», 


'"-  -4' ' ’ 1 

t-i  y . j <v»  • i ’W^-  * - - i'  ^ ''  \ •*  J 


, ti; 


■ ■ . z"'  5 ■'  --*51  ‘■• 

-^ibi-j;,.-:  : • t/!  " --:4'3i 


. V..- 


..J  t 


4 ic  IV 


.y  r 

*\ 

£^03  .'X  •:  t -.i 

,.'f 

'll  -'-ifv  i 

■ »ri 


,i  .-/•  ?"•*?■?  Vf  4' 


-•V' 


. . . - 

« • vr  -.^  pseil 


. *■* ; ) ••-3 


•± 


•4 


<rJ* 


T 


" -‘J 


• > 


i t • ♦ ' 

1 T # ^ 


:-.L  u-’4; 

:t 


X-  ^ J* 


; .■  : - i *.  ■ 5 


-’  7 ^ • i-Tlr  . 


V -X 


jK- 


1 ■ ' 


'.U 

> ^ i I 


iV  . / 


H 


,.-i  ..  ^ > r 

* ^ r-  %v’'^ 

) 

i’  '-aT^'w. 


# 


1 

i#- 

JT*- 

:J  . X 

’■  '■, 

f AiH .’ 

y*$  ,3.*"' 

^ . J 

4b 

m'di' 

,*•  nil*'.?  H 

1 

.-  ■ n 


r*v^y 


1 .-:vajf^  - «!•''• 


.>f  > ■'/ 


-25- 

his  C'.vn  atilt srr.ent  that  letters  are  intended  as  reseir/olances  of 
ccnversation  ana  the  chief  excellencies  cf  ccnversaticn  ^re  gcca 
hu2.:ur  and.  goc^  brsiding  . ’Tefce  always  extendsa  his  peracnc^l- 
ity  tc  dcr.inate  his  newspaper  writing  as  it  did  his  private 
letters.  He  was  always  interested  in  econon.ic  and  social  nevvs;- 
and  in  emphasizing  these  things  he  aia  much  tc  transforn.  news- 
pap  rs  froH;  rabid  political  pamphlets  to  registers  of  social  nevvs, 
veaicies  ef  social  ...iscp'!  sit  ions  scmetimes  serious  but  always 
spirited  full  ci  bright  energy."  After  1713,  Tefoe  .<rote 
for  :'ist*s  and  Api:  lebee ' ■-  journal,  the  I'onthly  liercuriuo  Poli- 
t i cu 8 , the  weekly  rcrmer’s  ’’’^ew s-Letters,  (1715  - 1718)  which 
.’.ere  in  m.^nuscripts  and  not  printed,  ana  the  ^’hiitehall  TTvenin;?: 

- ost  ain^^l^  leaf  folic  p'rintea  aaily. 

Considering  the  ■'■ork  of  lefce,  hie  greatest  contribu- 
tion tc  literature  during  the  first  fifteen  years  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century  was  his  Review.  This  is  of  special  significance 

considering  the  ccntributlon  cf  the  fam.iliar  letter  to  the  news- 

0 

first,  in  the  fc.ct  that,  Eefoe,  in  cre.uting  the  rot_^ty,.e 
for  the  dcaern  "leaaing  article",  usea  the  letter  form;  ssconu, 
in  the  "Special  Tcrres;  ondence"  he  usea  the  letter  form  ana 
third;  in  the  content  t.,nd  style  of  the  pa;  er,  Lefoe  not  only  in- 
ccr^-oratea  the  stylistic  characteristics  of  his  own  letters  but 
...loO  that  of  the  epistles  of  the  early  news-letter  writers. 

As  the  eighteenth  century  aavanced,  conaitions  continuea 
to  oeccrr.e  more  favorable  to  printers  aria  puolishera.  In  17C9 
the  Copyright  Lw^v,  ^assea.  This  vvas  a aistinct  victory  for 
all  publishers  o.nd  -ided  to  the,  ;0'sr  of  all  ^^rof essional  writers. 
In  this  same  year  aipearsd  the  7- tier  published  by  Plchara  Steele 

BgsgsaBMBBM— aa— BBBggBBgBagegegMBgSBsgg  ' ^.ifjgaaggBigga  ,< ii^=sBggaaB— — gg— gagMggaaegg 


\4’ 


Sto-viirr 

- - U ■ • - 

.2 

faii 

#.  ••  ^ 

# to.  **v 

Ti 

\ 

-^  ' * , - ■ ’ * • ; 1 .'•  i ■ i , 

»« 

r 

T 

It*  ^ 't  ••  i 4. 

^>toi!'.?ifti 

^ •» 

' - ‘ ‘r^t^ ' • ' . i ' fiij. . * •* 

'Sa'- 

, - :**'v  V < ■■-  ^ 

i‘i'  ./to  -. 


,...  V 


’vS 


,t  - :♦ ' .* 

■‘  ■*». 


- -■;*, 

*■ 

> “ 

0 , 

. '-■■ntjet 

> ' , 

C iT“^  _: 

t 

l\4*.r  c ' 

•■*!  . 

jr  j»  ' -' 

. ^*-  , ' * ' 

> r 


•c-' 


>A  'J-' 


■»  < . 


•i  ‘.T  . , 


1 - . 

• A** 

1^  - ^ 'i 

, :1j4^  ' 

IS 

jtf#  «vl' 

Cj 

■«a  ■-. 

it  < 

‘V- 

' .. 

if  ^ I - > ♦ i'jj:®* 

^ ^ 0 ^ ' A V 


;#  r^:-^A  ? r 

•'’  ."  ■-  T*  - 


li 


j«  '*»* 

•:•!•.  •1ft..-  .'  , »l;'‘fc.. 

..  ..  . v\ 

:.  .•:'  -^«««<'  "•w 

_..  ••'  A ^.c  : 

; t«  i^  Vi. 

-■ .'  , • , - V-  . 4 

• : ' - »• 

1.  ■•  . .- 

Q I 

i 


-*'  t 


.*.*-£Tt?*  w - 


*1^*  ;-i' 


am 

’ v-KuJjr'i 


-26- 

thrc-T  ticie-s  v/aekly.  until  Jjinuary  2.  1711.  Steel  J.e3i;^ne^  the 
oco-^e  zi  the  Tut ler  to  err.brace  the  three  yrcvincee  of  "rr.unners, 
literature  and  olitice"  . This  yaper  v.as,  moreover,  a conscious 
moral  effort;  an  attempt  to  improve  eocial  coni^itions.  Ti-ibute 
must  he  ^'aid  to  “Steels  loe cause  he  made  a distinctly  cri^iniil  Uw..- 
Vc.ncem.ent  over  former  papers  for  according  tc  Labban's  in  his 
En^.lish  Essays,  "If  Steele  had  taken  his  iaeas  from  any  other 
p«,per,  he  wcul.:.  have  saia  so".  Steele  usea  the  letter  form  througl 
cut  for  he  sciw.,  "It  seem;ed  the  micst  prc;-er  method  to  form  it  by 
way  of  a letter  of  intelligence".  Steele  was  probably  influencea 
in  this  stateir.ent  by  the  gener?.l  practice  of  incor;  creating  the 
epistol-ry  form  in  Journctliotic  publications.  Only  the  first 
eighty  three  numbers  of  ti.e  Tat ler  may  ue  properly  cdlewi  news- 
pc.pers  for  they  ..lone  contain  actual  ne-.s  iten:s,  because  of  the 
aeci.xed  tenaency  of  *^he  paper  toaard  the  perioaic.:.!  essc^y.  Ac- 
car'..ing  to  Steele  tne  contents  of  the  p.-^,  er  v,  ere  to  be  uividea 
-n...  given  cut  in  various  departm.ents  of  the  po.,.er,  a h-.lf  sheet 
of  each  number  of  the  ..per  was  left  blank  so  that  the  .most 
recent  nev.s  mi^ht  be  written  in  ..s  acne  in  the  earlier  sheets. 

In  publishing  the  "".^tler  . Steels  not  only  aac^. ted  the 
..ctu..!  letter  form  but  he  alao  cre..ted  his  can  characters  for 
corresi-cnuents,  using  the  style  v.na  aiction  of  the  seventeenth 
century  ne e-letter  presenting  ni’us  in  the  sun.e  general  f..shion. 
Steele  auaea  t..  fresh  vigor  to  journaliem,  ^ colorful  sym^.  athet  ic 
ana  human  intere.st  to  enery  thing  he  wrote,  an  inimeasu ruble  con- 
tribution. 

.baaisen  hau  teen  a contributor  to  the  Tatler . aiding 
'^ttele  In  its  publication.  After  the  discontinuation  of  the 


I 


‘ * *-2^*1  ~ . ' -^-  ‘ ‘ * 

R.'  '-  - y *'-^  ^ vU 

^ - ^ ..-  -...“tl  •«  V./  i..ir:  t‘*a^;r  il*  ^ *y^ 

■'  ' 

f.  - ■ 


>* 


e-;.< 


*^»i  *'  .vw^r 


f ^C  % -.  *"'41^15  - 1 tiWC: 


. L-'^  . :;..t*v  4-*f*  1 _ 

-^.i.  . *’  ' '■  ’ 

; jgir  * -•  ■ . 'in  ■ *?:.^  *-■  "-■* " 

f - t : ** 

.c‘  »y^.i>^;  v--%*T  *■'  ’ ^ 

'-t  „ i|  i . ; - 

* » ...  ' ■ > _i  .2'  '■.*...  - . ■ ^ ^ -.1  w^' » J ■ I - _ *. 

’ '■  - - '4  ^ t V 

"VT^  -r- 

4^""  ^ • 


-27- 


Tut ler  in  Aaiison  tool  the  leao.  in  intrctucin^^  the 

ieclax  but  Steele  fcllcwel,  writing  the  entire  eeccnd  nuiiiber  ana. 
ccntinuea  writing  ?o  that  this  paper  was  in  reality  a collabor- 
wvticn  between  Addison  and.  Steele.  The  Spectator  was  not  a news- 
paper but  rather  a aeries  of  periodical  essays  written  in  letter 
fern.  The  “Spectator  - essays  possessed  the  inf orrr.w^li ty,  easej 
ana  sympathetic  humor  of  the  Tatler  papers  together  with  a markea 
improvement  in  grace  and  choice  of  diction.  Aaaison  was  always 
interested  in  style  ana  this  influence  is  shown  in  the  Spectator  . 
From  the  first  number,  The  ectator  enjoyed  greater  popularity 
than  haa  the  ""atler  because  through  rearing  the  earlier  publi- 
cation the  pu'-lic  haa  been  educatea  to  d^,preciate  its  successor. 

The  '"atler  and  'Spectator  were,  without  doubt,  the  most 
successful  journalistic  enterprises  of  the  early  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. They  were  extremely  p.cpular;  in  Furop  e o,s  well  as  in  Eng- 
lu,na  great  nuro' ers  of  io.i  tatb°rs^  a^.:p  eared  s^  ringing  up  over  night. 
The  o,.  ularity  of  the  letter  as  a literary  ferr-  may  be  measurea 
in  p>.rt  by  the  success  of  these' two  p.-.pers  and  the  numerous  o,t- 
temp-ts  to  imitate  them  in  the  Pe-'^atler,  "^h=  ."^emale  Tatler,  anu 

others,  however,  despite  its  popularity,  this  type  of  paper 

coula  net  replace  the  newspapers. 

In  171C,  there  appearca  a new  weekly  newspaper,  the  Ex- 
aminer, eaitcu  by  Swift.  ”he  first  number  of  this  p..^.  er  was  puD- 

liahed  in  the  popul.^.r  epistolary  style  with  this  ii.te  by  the  su- 
itor, "'  y chief  business  will  be  to  instruct  my  countrymen  and  per- 
haps I may  endeavor  now  and  then  to  divert  them".  This  pii,,er 
aiv..  not  concern  iteolf  with  "wit,  f-lse  learning  ana  fglse  oli- 
tice  and  p..inted  ladies",  ’'ut  rather  commented  on  other  pap^ers 


1; 

rS. 


- ^ 


i. 


'-1  *. 


■'»  ii. 


T 


1 


•'- 1 KJi 


•,ja  -t’c-itj 


ai 


R- 


i -:  .'.n  . .W  -i  . ■ 

, ; ♦ • 

-■  'liTj 

. ^p-. — , 

••' - *•  ■ "3' }ri;W>^  - f .’ **' * ^ '■' 


s3r^-* 


.-- v'-H.«»  ."iiai'”  0.  k^- 

' * --  • •■•..» 


-•:  i, 


1.  Wi 


.iT.pl 

i * r>  i ■ »■■ 

%T  ■^- 

♦ V'i  %♦'  4 ir  k 

» • * ■ » 

>.J  i ’ % i >^'ii  t„?  • , 'iv  -*  ; ^ i 


1 
^ . 


,a  i>.  i’* 


fi  •#»■»'*' 

••*  i* 

tt.',  / ^ 


28- 


«.r.w.  comii'.on  cccurrenced.  The  Taaniner  contiiineci  hut  one  sheet 
hnlf  of  which  ',vas  taken  u^:  in  aavert iseir.ent s . The  discussions 
were  given  in  letters  followed  or  ^ireceaeu  by  an  eaitorial  note 
of  explanation.  This  nethod,  connr.only  employed  in  connection 
with  the  letters,  added  coherence  to  the  general  structure. 

The  G^uardian,  a daily  i apsr  edited  by  Steele  ax:p  eared  in 
1713,  assisted  by  A-^lison  and  others  who  wrote  under  tlie  niu:;e 
of  'Tester  Ironsides,  K'sryuire.  This  pai;er  was  very  simila.r  to 
the  Examiner,  employ in>3  the  letter  \<ith  editorial  notes.  IJestor 
Ironsides  chose  the  Sc.me  r.Si^ns  of  introduction  that  Isaac  Pick- 
erstw.ff  used  in  the  Tatl>r  . The  letter  fren.  the  pen  of  an  im- 
-.^inary  character  ^aa  such  a comfortable  literary  medium  fer  it 
allowed  the  editor  to  criticiae  the  theories  ana  policies  as 
strongly  as  he  saW  fit  throu  11  the  words  of  some  su>  ; osedly  un- 
known  corres;  endent  thus  saving  his  own  head  from  the  wrath  of  the 
irate  c;-,.  ositicn. 

Another  very  interesting  le tter-p ai:  er,  suggesting  the 
Gcntlem:an  * a Journal  was  Tov.n  T>.lk  first  publishea  in  1715. 

This  paper  was  comi.  ossa  of  a series  of  letters  written  by  the 
contributors  of  the  Tatler  , Spectator  , ana  Guara.ian,  addressca 
to  a laay  in  the  country  for  the  ;ur^ose  of  relating  "everything 
which  passes  In  town".  The  writer  eften  hesitates  sending  all 
tne  nevvs  for  at  times,  "it  would  expose  the  rec.der  to  hear  many 
im^.  ert  inences  from  which  the  greatness  of  your  understanding  and 
dignity  of  your  virtue  oughl  to  aefend  you".  Thus  in  aiscussing 
the  King,  v.'higs.  Plebeians,  the  Court,  religion,  a.rt  ana  society. 
Town  T .:1.1k  beC'-me  a purveyor  cf  many  bits  of  sententious  aavice 


as  well  as  ne\vs.  Th.e  writers  cf  this  pwO,.er  were  the  o.est  the 


"'•  if 


:fd  jSk 

ftiM  - 


I .# 

- s , < 

r-»y;..i  t.si:  ; a^  ....  , *i  ‘^**0  -’C»  ' Iv as  .■#.T|^ 

* ? ■ ’ ~ t • "TT' 

v.i '?  ■ i',  ^ V v'^ 

•■‘♦■>j“rMl'^XA‘r;  t-:  J . wT  «0iJwj  • -^  ‘ 1 -r 

V|-' 


- i ' ; ,r  : -!•  » a 


r-fciftl 


-•S' 


. ' : <*■ 


•:i‘u  i - 


: ) 


*♦4*  .■*, 


‘I-  ' 


’ ug.  •vTit'',  t ' . 

at t i -: ^9  r.'\<  : ^ ^ 

a.  U"’ '■',' •V*,'.  ;'.  ‘t’*  iT».^  ’ ‘ 

. .^V  •»  . it  ur,  -j  \ , 


*,k  ii:  [ -i^j...  - 'r^  -t.a.;  • **  **  ;•  - 


fi4  ’ f j 


■ - • ' ■ -i 


'.  . $. -V.  ■ ■'  4r- 


.;  ^ ■ Wi 

. . t.  ■oi'? '■ ' '‘ji'v>-'  ■-k-r-iii’-  a 

, ♦ w-:‘  . V '»:■■-  .i  9 1 “ * K^"^- 

'■  : >'.■  -.rr,  - 

» .(uii  irxtcri 


4 


. J 


^ t*5  •*  a ■'-*  •■'  a / a ^ ' V' s ^ 3 * '? V psrlf 

iiz  nx  -U  ;^:  a>--y . t 


-=& 


t '■  * ‘Vt-  — 

1 i.--^-' .:a-- ' ’'■ 

isJA*  10 

, r-'  - -#‘r>-  tfi  ” 


•»  *A 

♦ 

t 

; *■#  a-  ' 

>■;  •’ 

-j‘- 

4i  '■*  • *"  ' 

' a ►-  • ■ ^>'- 

1 It', 

t 

■ /I  -" 

'■  • 

« -t- 

i - 

.'.-•v  . ■'*‘. 

*■  • w t : ^ :i 

i f : 

• »4  : /•  * 

n f WiMi 

'.  i * 

“■>•*'  .4  » . ■ * * 

’ ,'*.,'^^a.  :/■ 

. ■•  ,•»  l\-  -.4  < ■' 

• 1 a i •*  /Ar<r»*  I ‘ »»■  k.^X 


it 


J . r>  . \i*' 


.wt  k.*-»’Vi#^ 

,.,-^  'ta  §l  - ■:  1^9  4 


•,  » 'y  ^- 


^ .e*i 


-29- 


tiir«  afforded  — Adaison,  Steele  and  Swift.  Each  renderea  a 
worthy  service  and  in  an  adrciratle  manner  shewed  the  aavantag-ea 
and  effectiveness  of  the  simplicity,  directness  and  personality 
of  the  letter  form  as  a means  of  discussing  ideas  and  making 
criticisms.  The  popularity  of  Town  Talk  encouragea  other  men 
to  attempt  simiilar  publications. 

The  Craftsman  is  another  e'lample  of  the  effective  .use 
of  the  letter  in  journalistic  fielas.  This  was  a critical  and 
political  paper  first  published  in  1736  by  Bollingbioke,  Am- 
hurst,  Nichols  ana  others  under  the  pseudonym,  of  Caleb  D'Anvers. 
These  m;en  discussed  pro  and  con  the  Free  Press,  Public  Debt  and 
becam;e  philosophic  over  the  Decay  of  Learning.  This  paper  was 
also  important  from  a literary  point  of  view.  Bollingbroke  was 
the  chief  contributor  of  this  paper  and  m.any  of  the  ccntemipor- 
ary  critics  considered  him  one  of  the  finest  writers  of  the 
English  language.  Bollingbroke  is  probably  seen  at  his  best 
in  his  letters  where,  although  he  discloses  his  personal  vanitj^ 
ne  also  shows  his  decisiveness  and  air  of  self  sufficiency. 

These  qualities  seem,  to  pervaae  the  Craftsm.an  making  it  the 
m.ost  widely  reaa  and  the  most  influential  paper,  with  the  e.x- 
ception  perhaps  of  the  Examiner,  of  the  early  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, The  opposition  party,  Walpole's  cabinet,  founa  it  a 
mighty  force  to  reckon  with.  Again  the  letter  showed  itself 
a forceful  and  effective  literary  mediumi. 

Other  papers  m.ight  be  aiscussed  in  the  stuay  of  the 
contribution  of  the  letter  to  the  early  English  newspapers  but 
these  examples  given  here  are  of  those  papers  miost  influential 
before  173C,  which  exemiplify  the  force  of  the  letter  upon  the 


C34?  . v“^  rnii  r*  j?%|f.  ’ ^iio#ii^ir*  *■•  ^ist^  ., 


-‘ftl  i>eiioiriii^  ‘.*j’;.’a^:n  i^f-  ci 

I i-inci^‘i’1  - ^ «-‘^ir5^*iib  ^ c2i'cl£ 1c  fr^s/5^i^i?!>5t1*  'Coi* 


■3/iJ.i-*m  Liii^  ^McJ  t jtcii»iiifOi0tb  'i*'  n'itt^tt  * ft'":'  irx&1'''**t«44’srT9n?  I0 

mwmm  - :^  ' j • , ■ , ^ . » 


7^.1  c > r5^.rtiv}Vag  ALttT  tni'o***  1e  'X^ ttajijjrt  ^ ftiT*^  rpueioi^^l^O 

.*n<5/f-oi-X^;rj  x«X:a£f  tiprt^Si-b  Q3 


- ^ ’w  • 

frotf  «*./*io?'-l'!»  'sni  W »i  rt^sigJI::!?  ddT 


trJ  at  M * ' -.d?  .«  .'l5Xl.  oi?"  4-C  im,-*»C 

*■  , ’ ' ■ * (*i  ■■ 

-3A  ,3>  fff  . f*"Xi't  *iaq>  a Xaatyl^t; 

1 ^ i'. 


: >1  3t'^  .tro  l4fc  cX^  i 

' 1^  ' I ' 


ajTo't^i^'T.iXX'a^  .r^tr.ly  Jiitc/i  v^Axa  ' ' / <*  iboil 
. -TOtrft^Jabo  ftrfr  X^  vnjt*G  w-.  xal'X  5o- xoJi/d'Xx "tsct  1»X.  5 -s^Ha 


P ~l3  1:o  J ^ y tfith  ■■  n5X? 


;^’ i rr’a&B  ifisfacox;}  *t  r.«£Xy^" 

\{^>£Lii'v  Xun^rrxs  : «Xrf' txt^A  aX  »l«i  riX  a 


. tonft'Jc^iTTtyfi  1X?'p>  '■tuk  13  54'  hitf  tr.Qii*  -<9^1^  ^%^' 

"ir  '•  'i 


• ^ 

t»4.'  iiiyXR  ixir  i*.:*  i'aiA*iet^n;:i  tXat t«4tt 


^ .4** 


■ *(l 


-S5<j  :i  1^49  91*%- 5 yXx4*J  1» 

4 3 1 IP  4i'xi;» 

hit-  .>:4»'.  ■ ..X5ir/.  w»r>W  e?  *acns1 

» • • ■ 

- * ^ ^ 

ll^.Hill,  '.•  , .#iU  jx|\4-^<chp c^A^tn  'i®4: 


.''i/C  ftXr  ;u' 


‘iifX  1'.  '•'7.' u»*>XlJffo' 


jJlX  ' ■ ■ •'•, 


2HU 


>0  ff  .tifi  iz'  l^  e tX'-fto, -fca 


fr4fX  itO* 


at  ftd5  ;'-  aoxc'S' yiili^jnwif  .i'Oi«*  ♦■■* 


-30- 


developing  newspapers. 

In  conclusion  it  rr.ay  be  well  to  3ummaxi:ie  the  points 
made  in  this  discussion.  During  the  sixteenth  century,  the 
news-letter  gained  a prominence,  varying  from  time  to  time  in 
degree,  which  it  held  through  the  first  quarter  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century.  Early  in  the  seventeenth  century,  Nathaniel 
Butter  published  the  first  English  newspaper,  which  was  found- 
ed on  the  news-letters  and  their  development  towards  news  jour- 
nals. In  this  work,  he  won  for  himself  the  title  of  "Father 
of  English  Journalism".  The  letter  as  has  been  stated,  con- 
tinued to  lend  itself  readily  to  the  task  of  purveying  news 
with  no  smiall  popularity.  The  reasons  for  this  are  that  the 
letter  is  simple,  direct,  and  forceful;  it  encourages  frank 
discussions  through  its  conversational  style.  Moreover,  the 
letter  made  a universal  appeal;  everyone  wrote  letters,  the 
familiar  letter-writers  keeping  apace  with  the  professional 
letter-writers.  ^ith  the  appear&nce  of  the  Tatler  and  Spec- 
-Ldtor,  the  let  er-newspaper  began  to  assume  the  tone  of  the 
modern  essay  developing  qualities  that  distinguish  the  news- 
p-aper  from  the  periodical  magazine.  Such  papers  as  the  Guara- 
ian.  Censor.  Herm.it.  Surr  rise.  Pilgrim,  Restorer,  Re-Tatler, 
and  the  Cham.^  ion  were  growing  into  the  m.agaaine.  In  1713  ap- 
peared the  Gentleman*  s Maga:^ine  or  the  Trader*  s Monthly.  Thus 
in  the  first  half  of  the  e ighteenth  century,  there  developed  the 
uaily  newspaper  pnd  a well  defined  periodical  witn  foundations 
built  upon  the  news-letters  that  dcm.inated  the  sixteenth  ana 
seventeenth  centuries. 


Ht  ^ 
-■  ♦ 


f * 'i4  ^ ET - 

JuiT''  ^jLl^iVtuxjSV  rXu4'  \i'’  f • n® Xw.'X •'(Wft  tii  • ^ 

ei*  J .';’xr'rt'i>5  - . ii  * ' r#i<a^  Xv  ui  ^ 


V rikUtf  isi  o^i^tSB 

Hi  isflil?  .’i-xV‘ivTEV‘u;i»  ‘ 


IollJj»il4tf.‘i  Xl,'tj*rr9’lm'  V5e  t;  ‘ ’‘^1’  'iX*i-*'^  . j 

-ijiiyo.l  e»an  i^r-v^a  .1#IX^'  t»Jv<‘  LjsJftXf 19^'ti 

»^i  . 1 ^1  ♦ -__,^ 


TUi|i  Bivtsis  4'AJ*  »l-"?ir5X-ftv*iT  ^ 

iM  lo  pIvX**  T^JI  P9"f  ii5ar  %UX  ftl  *'.fX#qj:? 

nosa  *'♦  xftJ'#*'! 


" « 


^itiVUVTy^  ^fO  AC*  1X3%^.*  QS  tdJ/fU  ^ 

tl:  S^  i:  i^  -i,  ‘XvU  V>i  bjJe»a>Kx,  -^-V^  .'^-  X'-  ^ 

,Ix^Uo^o^  Xvtt#  4^  C*^«i»  ^1 

^ • • K\ 

*jd  jT  rHlkCft- i .‘SX’gJ*  X.i^n^i4*r-*lt'’'1'^^  JS  J mu -^BL'‘0$tti 

' 0!)  ■ 

•si'j'  .-rf-tij?! iXB'flt*': ■^i-  x*^^4»y4®^  ^ »x*«  iv#3»x* 
*ox..  oiU 

>!>t>q?a! . Of\M  isiJL^-  t(^X^  ,fcxf>3-UX-‘Tiiir^®X 

s«i?  oJ  (5^9«f  ’X*#  ot  /!  '■■>^-fJi 


-'iT’Ski  dri^  t ^ ^<&X  'C*'  ®® 

-XXAi>0  5*;^  a»  4iO<^  vxx- 4 ^r5*'  xs<^q 

’ * • 


to 


,x4ljvr>e  .1X>?.XS»  .1££Ii12 

^X--i.'i»l  .‘5Tii^:j;v;->  *',V 

■ I - ^^n|Ag| 


sa:  . xi-xcar.  c»\‘i;'!^-tif$X'?  * i,  '::.  tx-.Mi.  J«xM 

% n,f  4j?n#%y?  , ? ,. '.'li-.. J-  .'v-t-’  - -' 7 **<^1  w*  Tltl^ 


-SI- 

CHAP  T?R  III 

THE  PELATI^N  OF  '^H'^  ‘^''^VPNTPENTH  CENTURY  LETTER 
TO  THE  FAMILIA.R  ESSAY 

The  contribution  of  the  seventeenth  century  letter  to 
the  developir.ent  of  the  eignteenth  century  eaeay  afforda  an  int- 
eresting ana  valuable  study.  Speaking  broadly  the  English  es- 
say may  be  aefined  as  a prose  composition  of  moaerate  length 
which  ueals  with  the  external  conaiticns  of  a subject  in  an 
easy  ana  cursory  way  and  in  a subjective  fashion.  It  may  be 
calleu  a "loose  sally  of  the  ir.ina"  cut  it  is  som.ething  m;ore. 

No  gre^ter  beauty  in  the  use  of  the  English  language  is  found 
anywhere  than  may  be  discovered  in  the  best  English  essays.  To 
what  sources  does  the  modern  essay  owe  this  high  aeveloiment? 

In  order  to  understand  the  transitions  in  the  rise  of  the  es- 
say in  the  early  eighteenth  century,  it  will  be  advantageous  to 
review  the  early  essayists  ana  their  work  in  creating  this  form. 

The  Epistles  of  Seneca  are  early  precursors  of  the  es- 
say, but  it  is  impractic£;l  to  stress  any  relationship  between 
these  epistles  ana  tiie  essay  of  the  eighteentn  century.  Other 
writers  living  between  the  tim<e  of  Seneca  and  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, unaoubtealy  possessed  the  spirit  of  the  essay  without  the 
form;.  Not  until  the  time  of  Kontaigne  can  the  study  of  the  es- 
say be  taken  up  in  any  profitable  way. 

Michel  Eyquem  de  Hontaigne  (1533-1592)  whomi  miany  critics 
speak  of  as  the  originator  of  the  essay,  was  a well  educated, 
keen  minded  mian  who  wrote  miuch  for  tne  pleasure  of  writing  while 

in  the  seclusion  of  his  tower,  his  favorite  resort  on  his  es- 


r!' 


m 


IT  * TK*’  ^n  ??  V 


f »•  ■ s.  '*  Jt  ^ 


:t^" 


Ttr  ir 


t .•■ 


l^^^^X  -f-ar^^iiTra  ^ lo  sdt 


■ ♦ _ 

ilii  , u ’[.v^es  VI- -^' * *itJ*0  ;ii , >id  lo  0/iJ 

-*5  iiaii^TT  '{XXax.i^  Ijha  sai^»0X0 

' ' ^ • ■"  •- 

x;;;5nM  lo  iii«o  ; . 5 ^Ti"!  . sTti  94  ‘\Ux  \Rm 

1*  ’ '- 

nuj  fU  4'J-^iuJLt.  ^ la  «-:x  iii4^so  i X*lii 


# 


V«^a  ? I s'*  ico-.  ^ ^ ^ 

-ii(f£  4 


i V >:^  *':ftLa  e,  V.  vu:^.u  liecoX" 

^ ^ - . . . , , . 

Lfhjoi  *Ji  •s-xrgtijiX  • . a*v*  !«*  c**r  '5 a,'  xii  '' .*uxe<J  *r?  ^-5i,£  , 

'•  ^^  ■ Vi 

10 ’ :t«(j  ^:^.-  it*  ^f-iovuc-^l^  •:  ',^--»i  ouisX;?  ©*i0.iifxflra 

•'■  '^,  ■ c ^»;>, 

!^<.:  .i  'Vi*_  tX45-  ©1*0  S-I?'  <i^‘T  9^f>%iJTt  ' 

-S#  54^  AC  9»i3  tli  *tS^t^*Oi'.  'l^  ni#  OJ  fil' 

• ..  ..  ” . * ’ l»  ' * • ' % 

'Vri>r:;^M^T?w  eo  lit©  •;,  ,\*’?i-'y»w  V xri  t*4 

. n^l  * idt  3ir!  *:>5!ro  eX  ©«•  i\;  . : «©  ?^tv^'^ 


# 


-11®  ©o.‘  Ic  9^1 jooa*^-  lo>j  — irg'^  sal  f J 

XSPSJ>3-a<y  f'  « X ..T;«r-el  ri  iiftf 

. :tlniiT©D  ia^e^^  e a4*’  ^ ':/•'* -s  = :*  "or  ©os^-^* 

. -fi»s  *s  9_i-w  ®a?  j?j'iviX  eisa^N©' 

%4X  i-  aiii''i#‘  yAj  4 xXl>fi/uif9:.rTij 

-»r  :x:  5i!?-*  fi  • as  i « .t  -.■>  • ! : 


t ••  » • 

j • i / 


I ..-■  * ;..*r' 

9<ij  ii:!w  t<t'  , nja\.. 

It- 


•,^;4»»  ©XJaVi^a:  ; ..t*  **1  ju  ci9Amt  bO 

» 

v.'tt*  ff3T8i?l<ta4*  9,  sr*  :X  X^iUtitf 


> ■ ’ # 

^ iX^«  .*  9i  .'  sdf?  la  X‘Z^' 

■x'^. . :'  ' '^. 

lf;|^  * aty#.  9X5  © • ^ y®ti^*  s.ciir  asMii  'a©j4 

-?•;  /'i  . ff  : M 4i»i  la  n®i«ni3ea  ?»as^ 'C.^ 


B 


-32- 


tate  at  Montaigne.  His  Hessaies"  were  composed  of  loose  bits 
of  philosophy  and  observations  collected  under  different ^sub- 


jects. He  used  the  name  essaie  for  his  work  because  it  was 


an  attempt  in  a new  and  unestablished  literary  field.  These 
jottings  taken  aown  more  or  less  at  ranaom,  give  an  unaisguisea 
revelation  of  the  writer.  Montaigne  treated  each  subject  cur- 


sorily rather  than  comprensnsively,  subjectively  rather  than 
objectively)  the  impression  upon  the  reader  is  of  the  man  rath- 
er than  of  the  topic  discussed.  "Of  Names"  is  one  of  Montaigne's 
characteristic  essays.  An  excerpt  from  it  will  aiu  in  summar- 
ising Montaigne's  style. 

"What  variety  of  herbs  soever  are  in  tne  uish  goes  by 
the  general  name  of  salaa.  In  like  manner  unaer  the  consiuer- 
ation  of  nam.es,  I will  m,c.ke  a hotch-potch  of  ailferent  articles. 
Every  nation  h:.s  certain  na-mes  that  I know  not  why,  are  dis- 
likeu  as  with  us  John,  William,  Benedict.  In  the  gene:.logy  of 
princes,  tne^e  seem.s  also  to  be  certain  nam.cfe  partic^lcrxy  af- 
fecteu  CIS  the  Ptolemies  of  Egypt,  the  Henrys'of  Englana  ana  the 

Chiirles'  of  France.  --  There  is  a saying  that  it  is  a 

gooa  thing  to  have  a gooa  nam.e,  that  is  to  say,  creult  ana  a 
goou.  repute;  but  besides  this,  it  is  really  convenient  to  have 
such  a nam.e  as  is  easy  to  be  pronounced  and  remem.bereu,  by  rea- 
son that  kings  ana  other  gre'.t  person  , by  that  means  may  the 
more  easily  know  anu  the  miore  hardly  forget  us;  ana  of  our  own 
servants,  .•.e  m.ore  frequently  call  and  employ  those  whose  naimes 
are  miO-t  re^-'dy  upon  the  tongue." 

Montaigne  possessed  originality  ana  a charmdng  fresh- 


ness of  coloring.  He  seem.s  to  have  begun  a camipaign  against 


pedantry.  He  was  not  aidactio  nor  was  he  ever  attempting  to 


preach;  he  was  not  rom;.ntic,  using  the  term  in  its  brovuest 
sense,  though  he  had  som.ething  of  the  narrative  touch.  He  is 
informal  ana  unsye tem.at  ic  in  his  arrangemient . His  diction  was 
simple  and  e-pressive.  These  are  some  of  the  tr^<its  of  the  first 
essay  writer  that  were  carried  over  to  FnglcLna. 


Jp  815.^  i;?  .eiTglaJao)! 


■«  * 


Iv^Zi^ltoo  tapl  * . fiz- xiqQtmot£i^\^^  Tro  ■ 

B§w  fc^x/ave-^r  it^rf  fcirt.liJi  <ria^Mj  >^*n  5iit  Jba^i; 

* J ^ ^ 4 

tseSJiT  j;c',r.Je‘6av  br-s  im 

Ci>r iff^e ittfif  a»i  »9l55  ,aic:5.iirf^  ^ wsX  TO  ^ioa  .cswoi.  aaaU:r"" li-gcU44Ql  . 

’ * 'T 

-ICO  ttl^so  .‘se:)l^ir  ndi  1^  iiai^iiX^voV 

. ■ *^  ’ -.  , -■  ' 

..5t.<Jt/o'  a»ii^  i.ed^ii's.  vliio«  ^ 

-rtJ4,i  xiAMk  odl  lo  ird^  iivi 8««x:jS2.  Uiii- 


•:  I?"  .LueewoBlii,  oi^oJ  lo  n#ilr 


E! 


-XHU-iica  x:.  .-i-^  sZih  :i 

u . 5* 


^ , 1 *» 

t ,p^  ^ » 'Tif  J .oXX*f  £ ^iJifci 

. \v  ite*.  i-u,.  a/  ifVO<M  «.  \'Jciiiiy  raxiX'" 

-*13.  enif  :©tm-'  ■%%a^’S  raL'X^rl  .c.  f •<  '’.^?*  ir  ?4i 

.c.^i£l-w*i-  Me-iftlii:  ' w iiD-.' :\-ii3?n4  iP  f^fU*  ' -Xv>  t ^9*^0i  "i;?  aoiSs 
“fcij  r*'-  . ♦t.i?’ ,#cr  • sRi  ' • t^.D i^.i'Tsa  \r»v% 

1.  ;t!i  ./dj  v»ri'.‘  L.  / ''»r  B- 

-'X4  .-.■!  . i:--al;TlJSI^  • --.a  .,i---ftr^O  ^^!>  oJ 
• i:.  -C.v  i>«‘->jM!3£  !<!!,*«  »J  |- *:3  i<2  ,-si3ioXi»?^  ©<.  «.«.  *iioXo^l 


« ei  ja  r ‘''S^ 


*» 


- .Bonua*^ 


i 


<M.  xa,\  "...fio  »-,;  «:■  i-i',  w . .o;  -ti.*  erv  4»-j:d.-»  .boos 

t>vr:L,  ^-1  0 vCXiOi,  * _ /r  ii«^'ri«is.'j  fi/.a  r.^/*  .^a 

-jikjl  *^v  : ^a^',  »4  £tec» 

• "in?  ';R  , flo*xi  ’ ' "•I't'''.' « ? jTw  >, 

• a^~  lirr^  l4»  '9^|^  }''^'iy.A  \ V;  *-iJi  \^C-{ * ^ XXli’a®  ^ 

»t^Miil.  3«Ol&#  0«o?/  X->X^.i‘V  fifU!  iiv?  V&iTRN''T'’’J‘^  *'X^n  « 

'*  " f<  ’’  i-*'-  X»*f«  oil* 

-dt-^al  ^i#)  »Jo  > i.iui  i’lc-  /v27 

^•“-^■-1  ; Jl 

.'%l^a'^y-wo‘  « ^ ■ fiv  f.  OS'  j.x>U'ioZsi^^  Va  »f9a 


j4  5|Xl.'»^|((tp?' ’-  i^vt  j ‘ I jpiljtl  r:i  0 ^1.  ’a  ^♦r  -sH  -xi: 

nl'  v'w’  B.  ri  tril  ;:10JE5lJ  4 

»X  9'k  . ,'Ql.  *55:  TTi  ii  fJU  tv‘  ^*lr‘-  Ciitf  S-lt„ 

■ *?  . - "'4 

»4*n  (T.,  i loitj  ‘5  ei  nl  1?  ^ l**r  ‘x  uri 

^/Ir  i*.  f l(fiS  *.i^  .■©“Tix  »■  *1 '■,  il  ^X  "J  tail  .< 


">■ 


. .a.*(jij'?  ;*V 


“’  919** 

'5^. 

’ *j 

.^>‘  ■ ' 


*5  ' 

r 


:ij 


«6W! 


35 


In  16C3  Florio  translated  Montaigne’s  Essaies  into 
English.  This  translation  almost  imiTiediately  brought  forth 
essays  from  the  pen  of  Francis  E-con.  Of  Bacon's  literary  work, 
his  essays  were  the  most  popular.  He  himself  wrote  of  them; 

"Of  all  my  other  works,  they  have  been  the  m.ost  current".  He 
aescribed  his  volume  of  essays  as  "certain  brief  notes  set 
aown  rather  significantly  than  curiously,  which  I have  called 

Essays.  They  handles  those  things  whereof  a man  shall 

find  much  in  experience  but  little  in  cooks".  This  last  state- 
ir.ent  might  be  maae  e';ucLlly  well  of  the  seventeenth  century  let- 
ter as  of  the  essay.  Paeon  took  the  n..me  Essay  from  Montaigne. 
He  ccula  not  take  over  however,  Montaigne's  simplicity  ana  in- 
foroality.  B?con  was  too  profound  in  his  writing.  His  mina 
was  toe  analytical  and  scientific.  His  style  varies  but  it  is 
always  the  grand  style,  "the  great-winding  sheets  that  cover 
all  are  aeluges  and  ear th'^uakes" . One  may  get  an  iaea  of  Ba- 
con's style  ana  approach  by  reading  fron  his  welkncwn  essay 
"Of  Erienaship". 

"It  had  been  hard  for  him.  that  spoke  it,  to  h-ve  put 
rr.ore  truth  end  untr>jith  together  in  lew  words  than  in  that  speech, 
"V.Tiosoever  is  delighted  in  solitude'  is  either  a wild  Ceaat  or  a 
fca  for  it  is  m.ost  true  that  a natural  ana  secret  n;  tred  and  a - 
versaticn  '^o.v...ras  society  in  -ny  m.an  hath  somewhat  of  the  sav- 
age beast;  but  it  is  •. -;st  •. ntrue  that  it  should  have  any  char- 
acter at  all  of  tne  divine  nature  except  it  ] receive  not  out  of 
a pleasure  in  solitude  but  out  os  a love  ana  ^.esire  to  sequester 
a man's  self  for  a higher  conversation  suen  as  is  founa  tt  have 

been  f 1-ely  ma  feignedly  in  som.e  of  the  heathen But  little 

do  m.en  f^r.ceive  of  what  solitude  is  and  how  far  it  extenu.eth, 
for  a crowd  is  not  company  and  faces  i re  but  a gallery  of  pic- 
tures ana  talking  but  a tinkling  of  cymibals  where  there  is  no 
love.  The  principle  fruit  of  frienaenip  is  the  ease  ana  dis- 

charge of  fulness  and  swellings  of  the  heart  which  passions  of 
all  kinas  ac  cause  and  induce.  No  r3ceipt  openeth  the  heart  but 
a true  friend  to  whom,  you  m.ay  impart  griefs,  joys,  fears,  hopes, 
.-■usp  iciens,  counsels,  :r;.  h tsoever  lietxi  U;  on  cne  heart  to  op- 
press it,  in  a kind  of  ®ivil  shrilt  or  conieooi.n". 


S 


‘ ■ ... 

«eidc<i';  -• ' onginiSii' cfficXt  ZiSfl  n2  *\ 

dixs\  ? itH^vid  '1 1 tVtiti  ji  J e cnlA  -*2c  1 1 nX  fc/i  >1 J tl  , le  life  a? 

X*,.%%93li  « ’ '.bo- S^IO  *i  ; rdf  flWll  -•t-O»<0 

“tf  ^ •f'-J  4;sCi% 

■ 0^?''^’  . ‘ * l- WU  ,-rf'3l  -i»jTOW  •J5'Si?»  ^ S?«  ^0^ 

*- 

?4oJc»n  t"  .-  ja'Iov  f Irf  l>»-,Xito*:»i»'‘ 

ev  . ri  I-  ' fl '5  i>i 

' .■■'  ' •>  ^ ^ 

if.  1 *:  ivcaJOi-— ' — --•  61SJ'  - :lLiX:id  V*<5*  •^**|l** 

^siif  «!.*■  ai  *i4m  ^L'vi  t'-f 

• * • » ■> 

*3^>  7^KMi3k!»  »Tii  ii*  rfftfc  ' *»  p 

3 'i. 

, : , , . j . : /.  ji  I X 4 ••  .a  ^!ir  t •; 


H 


i 


i'i.') 


. b ■•«  'ibii' 


T'» 

^ I TAi  V^  f~:  £ ilOTd»2»«  i-*af  ? ?'-3  tH  I 

'’  “'  """-I  ' ’ 

: i.M  .tj^X  jXa  ‘-X  ...  |jV  • >*  • 


* : ‘ j ,*  f ;»♦  ; 'Xii  y >*  » iX* 


* 

#• 

« »•#  . 

’ « 


.jrc«-^i«W  iNct 


5 

• . J . 


? "t^  Aj)  *.  .*?/ rn i ill*?  **  9fl^ 

av‘  . - n#  4^5  SflO'  »;-a 

• _ ' -*';■*  , * 
' fly*  ,al  • ’ »td  ::  rri^z-^fi  rfp-; •-' ; 4-i -i-  i 3! 


3L3,  •''■  w v'  A " a.  ^'^i.ijT^'^.’i.  *1  n^'j^  1.1*4  31'”  ' 

^4'4c^,4."  ; :ti  aX  -ija4'  ^ ca«>,  ^ ’3,^4J>2r-*  .;**-^;C^n;-  ' /m  (tdifU  ^’zon 

■ « O trtv  >^bgX4^r'eX' 

4 ?!»  -»i  aoT;  CMtl 


••  (I , jur/.  »--‘'*i ■ 


->'.wr  ft.'?  '!■>  ,.4f^4rAr  ‘.^  vrm.  ^:cioo^  -4.'  n .ii^aay 

-'t  w-  \;i.*  4;;‘iT^'  ?i‘  ' ‘ X A 

Xj  ^x??  lyi  K'rr‘^*,:.v‘  ff  ■ ^ X^  1X« 


■ ■*e.’*JSiTi»-'  J'.’  *v;j+  flfVOL'Ji*  . ...  .-  ^ 

•3  •.*  . .I'JX  »*>  ^iL^/ *1  id  ^Xe*  ' '•f|. 

^V4JL/  jlX  94"  --  ^ a‘l  \IM  * • * J 

; : «?  *wi  -0  «ei‘.  5Pw4  iX*>fi  J kiX  ^ 2S  Oy  ‘ 


;•  :.J*\r>.  ■ T''*  ’i  tTlXIiAsI’l  4 


-Ol 


1 ratify 

i’iv"  4>* 


X4«  ^ S-OAX  ‘-''4  ’ifl-i  i'T^O  < Sr  r.‘  It.  1:7  i *4>i 


^ • V 

T ft*-^  **  ..  • 4 Z)' 

S V'  * » W 4^ 

<^'4^  --feT 

i^' 

• 3 

^04. 

.«  ' 

* 

*er>. 

,«•  i? 

4T«f*rf 

.«  4-’ 

f i 'i<i  .5Toi 

a?  •3  Xi' CIU8  ^^64.1/1  :o 
*■^^>'1  :■  . ^diiiutX  _'.Tr.  .’'.'■'jfio.  ■»  xii4  Xi4  * 


ft  ii 


-34- 

Eaccn's  style  is  forbidding  even  when  aiscussing  sonie- 
thing  so  intirriate  as  irisndshirs.  Ke  is  objective  rather  than 
subjective.  Bacon  himself  does  not  aypear  in  this  aiscussion. 

It  v.cxo  in  this  that  Baccn  differed  so  decidedly  from  Mcnta-igne. 
lf.n  Bacon's  defence  it  may  be  sa,id  that  he  lived  in  an  age  of 
curiosity  and  e -grerim.entat icn.  During  the  next  half  century, 
conditions  were  som.ewhat  different.  People  had  aeveiopea  in 
their  broadening  interests,  they  were  m;ore  prosperous  and  liv- 
ing m.cre  at  ease.  There  was  a decided  increase  in  literea’y  int- 
erest, am.ong  the  public  as  well  as  among  the  authors,  before  the 
ne <t  essay  writer  began  his  work. 

Cowley  appeared  in  the  essay  field  in  1661  with  so 
much  success  that  in  s>  ite  of  what  Baccn  had  done,  he  is  gen- 
erally c'-llea  tne  P'-mer  of  the  English  Essay.  ”’hy  Co\^ley  re- 
ceives this  title  and  not  Bacon,  may  be  found  in  part  in  these 
sentences  takenfrom  hi*!  essay  "Of  Myself". 

"It  is  a hard  and  nice  subject  for  a mian  to  write  of 
himself;  it  grates  his  own  heart  to  say  anytning  ol  dispiarage- 
ment  an^  the  re-;a.ers  ears  t-;  hear  anything  of  praise  from.  himi. 
There  is  no  danger  from  me  of  offending  himi  in  this  kina;  neith- 
er my  m'indanor  my  fortune  nor  my  body  allow  m.e  any  m.aterials 
for  that  vanity.  It  is  sufficient  for  my  own  ccntentm.ent  that 
they  have  preserved  me  from;  being  oCfnaalous  or  remarkable  on 
:he  defective  side.  But  besides  that,  I shall  here  speak  of 
m.yself  only  in  relation  to  the  subject  of  these  precedent  dis- 
courses ana  shall  be  likelier  thereby  to  fall  into  contempt 
than  rise  up  to  the  estimate  of  rr;Ost  people.  As  far  as  ihy  miem.- 
ory  can  turn  back  into  my  past  lile  before  I knew  or  was  cap- 
able of  guessing  what  the  world  or  gloiies  or  business  of  it 
were,  the  natural  affections  of  n.y  soul  gave  a secret  bent  of 
aversion  from  them  rs  some  plants  are  s.,.id  to  turn  away  from; 
others  by  an  .-ntipathy  imiperceptible  to  themselves  ana  inscrut- 
able to  mian's  unaerstanding. " 

The  rccsaer  does  not  feel  that  Cowley's  style  encom.- 
pasees  "the  great  winding  sheets  that  cover  all"  but  is  rather 
that  of  Montaigne,  informally  gracious  ana  personal. 


Cowley 


'Ve  it  *jite>»-  9'«otrA|J* 


Mt -4^  - ^ .?\ v.  :.  ..niff/u 

tixMaf  .,  »JilJ  . i i\^  *'e<i^HI  JCiO -etfot  ’3tl4-<r.iXil  noO£^ 

Tv  > ' ‘ . 

■So  »^r>  .n*  'j  1 ivA.1^  iii^sw  ‘ paii«l5ib  ^^aoaiiS 

♦ 

Ha:.  .‘art»^  /j  • ,.^-!/5.  . . caj*,  x:i Uolxix> 

onit,  m.  . -iH- ’ii)»«  ai-nr 

-Vi‘i  i MiT  - c‘its\-  t'  'ijlftdi  iOX^’*  Xlftrf^ 

-•lai  -li  it  i^i^nl  i9H3^9t  a ,p-  • .;>»'ifr'-.  -9ioa  jgfli 

4 

a\lif  a-wslxd  ‘-'Sr  *'  **  oil if  !^ii.'> 

. V'14^^  r , t3jJ  .x«  if.-isae 

•0I»  ioai  ni  1'  -'-  s:i  l ' '• 

A?  - * ' 

^‘ynzii  fr'i*ll  * J-  ^ Ir;*.  isi:  Hi-9ptHi,!t.  .i04^ 

tS'  v'^-  ’-  ' *^‘ * ■ ’*»‘'^'^'  •'  - ■'*-  " v£i^x« 

ct  ixw.^’-al  ^:  ' •, ?. : <;.,-jii  - lii/  »©v4»<^ 

. ‘'*'iXtf't>V  . Ifil**  -:.'»^'r  r*t<4fi|[|^  .■‘'■■>^’  'i4-'>J  •aO/W3fi#<» 

'- 

■ic  ajl  i4  >.'*i  r:  i - y'  r.  ci  *]| 

-iT.  .x4(teXL  i:  4b;  i w «•»  .*  ij  ,*  ^iiX^ttSU4, 

. i '..xl  ,!5|lJ0*y  ♦axa^,  ?*x  »4l.«  t-  Jirtna 

-iijidc  ^iiiili  tiC-’  ii-i  *!»is  %d  pq  ai 

iHsi ', t; : i=.fls  »M  AoXi..  i-a  Vit^  ‘t  y '('■  x'"..  itt 

t xol  fi^r!*S vXTl“s% ,\:tn:'v 
ac  9i.*.>4xvi©sx  Iff  s*  »t^<*  t^tl* 

1j  Jkc.3r.q9  4'X#*pf  ^jlfiAeC).  -' ,’HP>' 

^*«i:.a;>c»t  : J l-  -^c>x'f/»v’2iiij  c..'  tiOt»t* 

-T'lae*  a»^C'  laX £?';l^X.’'*«‘  tl'-fl#  l-r.’-  ^^erirna 

:‘‘«  ...jtr  Xi.'l  iu.  . ' u j-t  ?C'  av*»ini.*t?  »/ljf  6‘«  :>  'A4i||H 

- Anir|.>  X 9-*;»>t9*i  -->-X4  ^*-  -;  V 4^:*^  .!  nx.y.'  o*0'’^'!X4 

/i -la  ■. i afr"  ..  3a.,  -X'^  ^iio  »1  “' 

1'  i »X3ir*'‘i’  rr.i-  I ; >o  v,-'  . i.r*?  \ *Wq 

x'iax  43  x»i  ‘ ‘ i\5-’X,  tr-.iH  91.  -.n  icii  a * 

— Sl'T.VaUi  'JC  .’  _ X .‘'i,-*  i *-''3  ^ ' \^tt3^e^  » tU'  »*  a 

''-,  -V  “ .IP"  ■ - 

7<-  , ' j s 

- .j-ift?;  <•  ' VlvI©|^►'*  ,x'/..*  I©#'  .'.'.n  Tisoi©  liftiii'X  ©fc 

iA.--.t.’^.  H .A’-’  <>^,0  prqq'd'  >:17;  qJ4" 


v©t'»^  ..ix-  Xi'l  ,©.t5i>;|ior''  'io  ?-»4? 

■ * . Tv. I 


-35- 

shcws  a reversion  frcrr.  an  e itreirely  elaborate  literary  style 
in  poetry  and  prose;  in  this  he  suggests  his  successor  Dryden. 
Tre  exhibits  withal,  an  enthusiasrr;  ana  grace  that  was  unusual 
in  Restoration  literature.  In  contrast  with  Bi^con  there  is 
nothing  analytical  in  his  style.  Ease  ana  infcrn;ality  are 
shown  in  his  diction.  Further,  Cowley  seems  to  have  realised 
that  0.  true  essayist  dare  not  be  too  profound,  that  he  nust 
possess  spontaneity  and  a personality  that  is  e-ger  to  be  in 
sympathy  with  his  reaaer.  Cow'ley  posses  sea  a sense  of  humor 
ana  a broad  and  kinaly  sympathy  for  m:ank ir.d,./he  rose  to  his 
highest  when  writing  of  love  and  friendship).  These  quali- 
ties together  with  his  simT)licity,  ease  and  informality  ana 
his  realiiiaticn  that  an  essayist  must  be  spontaneous  and  not 
toe  profound,  went  far  to  mike  in  him;  the  Father  of  the  English 
Essay.  But  what  a step  between  the  essays  of  Cowley  and  those 
of  Lam.b,  Ka^litt,  Bcott,  Pater  a.nd  Em.erscn.  The  changes  are 
not  due  entirely  to  the  gradual  develoment  of  a form  but  to 
the  infusion  of  another  literary  form  , an  infusion  introuuced 
by  the  pens  of  Fteele  and  A-.dison. 

These  m.en  m,aae  it  po  ssible  for  a m.odern  critic  to  ae- 
clare:  "There  is  no  form  of  writing  in  which  the  fluia  iaiom 

of  the  language  can  be  seen  tc  uetter  effect  in  its  changes  and 
in  its  m.ovemients  than  in  the  essay.  There  is  no  form  in  which 
the  play  of  in^ivi.^uali ty  ana  the  personal  way  of  looking  at 
things  »nd  the  grace  ana  whimsicality  of  m.an  or  woman  can  be 
so  well  fitted  with  an  agreeable  and  responsive  instrument  so 
long  as  the  essay  obeys  the  law  of  being  explicit,  casually  il- 
luij.inative  of  its  theme  ana  germ.ane  to  the  intellectual  m.ood 


e^si  '^Mli  £f^  *Mrii  r»'>«ji9V4rt  Jl  - Misdn 

.fiei/^a  tia  iri  nfu 

• ' ^ . J 

.' l4*ii#i;twirNpw  In''^  i^shs2r<t:*iio  eu^'  4rfliirti^  9^ 

« e-i  fE0lU^  dw’li  lf  -'£!£yiifc;>  ,iil  » a*i t/:* *~^e . X i ye  a jf  rtZ 

. i ^ 

X/05. JLXfl&jt  ^ .scl^olb  ^tR  at  ftr<o;U‘ 

• “ ..--<1  • . I •* 

;v:j'  4i*s»^o‘{ci^  od?  'ait  *da  9W*l^.  -a  3ud; 


*ic»y  ^ hi  Lfl*  \;f 


‘TvaL'l  o \tIiifoC  .tf'kji.©!  >‘i*^’ ri*'*’Xw  i[*Cjiaaa|tf>t 

♦ 3 \ -:j  ^%i  . 

i.i  . ^Ail^  . / jnixi'fc 

. iS  , , . ■ .'? 

i-ii^  i.iXA 'V'M'j&  4 iv  iJ?M?*!^.' ' eelO^' 

Xf'iX  f!jji>fjna(y4aT«^-«v^' Jfp.  ^5i*=^-3ci*5  n»  i“rjj  aoX>i“  v-*I=w»l  sfil 

AeXiJ^X''  &*■',  iv  *i?'ru:’-.'f  e»4X  ‘ ; X at  «r  otf'*  Tjsi  J0!S rv  *rxUrali«^«l  OO 

t>  - ■ ^ “-.  twc*)  Ic  p.  ifiew  f»?^w3fip^  ";;*J.<'  J .-3-.X*,  lU? 


• *w 


'<n' 


»,r::X*isK  ,(jfcJ.!lo 

■ . . ■ ^ 

O^'  ^ ■ Is- X4K|i»*i%  »iij  c ■^i9ii:/r«-  ‘aixa  X#||- 

i ']  .^  ,- 

boOv/fouxU -iv-jlf*.' -.li  ,T  , rr-X^^i  s.f*X  ^.-' .*  :j<»  1o  e;-i0i;lni,  Wv 

■‘  • ' ’,.  ‘ 

. . rUf  ®Ij39,73  l »jU’‘ 

.y" 

j'.’  3*5X10  .^•jtX'cwa:  ^ 9tm  tus 


ici  t L i i.  Z i.  9ii-:r  t?X  4*.  ^»l  ei. 


a‘.  <*,' ! ;ii 


:9l4hl^ 

5i>. 


' a)*a  •*? 

A -JC  fJ4J<]f1  tiXflt  >ii  fti 


OoX^y.  *u  <Li'jl  w»:  hi  v; 

■'.--■*• 

5.'  «:iia.-vi  >?  4rt  i;5  ^1..  \ ♦ iX6Ui:-o*  iXrtt 

:m  . 


rri’j  Wimf^ 
-N 


Vj" 


Xi  iXfiaillMfUMr  XJ!'  :» >X»*l^  ■ * C|5  tja  r AtX«  J 


4^ 


.r-  y 


0 ttffiik  ' . ie.‘  10  • *X  i.lr  fc'^trrj  ^h»a<fr  *ratl*  j-*» 

-"■'a-' . *•  *'i;  ?*s  ?.  -i«v«i5it-j^  -iTi*  ^■tifl|i?  *<x.  -s V I n r i»t X 4 


- ; 


-36- 


cf  its  writer,  then  it  may  fellow  pretty  rr;uch  its  own  aevices, 
may  be  brief  or  may  be  long,  slight  or  stupendous/  may  be  grave 
and  urbane  as  .Sir  william.  Temple  or  ripe  ana  suave  as  the  Tat- 
ler  ana  Spectator  or  as  Elian  as  Elia.  The  essa.yist's  style 

is  samewhere  between  talking  ana  writing.  The  one  clause  that 
it  Crinnot  afford  to  neglect,  is  tnn.t  it  be  entertaining,  easy 
to  rsaa  and  pleasant  to  remember.  It  may  preach  but  it  must 
never  be  a sermon,  it  ir.ay  moralize  but  it  must  never  be  too 
iorbi_.^ing.  It  may  be  witty,  high  spirited,  effervescent  as 
you  lixe  but  it  must  never  be  iliipant  or  betray  a iries-n  spurit 
cr  a too  consciously  clever  pen.""^ 

Before  the  work  of  Steele  s-na  Adaison  is  considereu, 
a brief  survey  of  tne  late  seventeenth  ana  early  eighteenth  cen- 
turies will  be  profitable.  This  was  a perioa  ci  activity  and  de- 
cided progress.  It  was  an  age  of  paint  an^  powaerea  wigs,  of 
patches,  lace  an^  snuif,  of  tiieatres  anu.  balls,  heverthelesa, 
in  spite  of  the  gaiety  ana  superficiality  of  the  tim.es,  the 
range  of  intere  t was  constantly  widening.  A greater  number  of 
people  were  interested  in  a larger  group  of  things.  It  was  an 
age  01  seriousness  an-...  of  earnestnes-^  of  desire  to  pursue  all 
knowieage.  There  seemed  to  be  a constant  reaching  cut  to  some- 
thing better,  a longing  that  might  be  typified  in  the  restiveness 
of  the  young  anu  curious  but  pathetically  serious  mina  of  the 
auolescent.  Men  were  interested  in  human  understanding,  in 
projects,  in  society,  in  morals,  in  politics  ana.  in  religion. 

It  Wa.8  an  age  when  every  man  of  letters  was  enthusiastic  over 

l.-Rhys,  Ernest  - Century  of  Enfrlish  Essays  from  Caxton  to  Rob- 
ber^ L.  StevensoTi.  New  YorET  1^X51  ^ ETITt 


mmUmmioMm 


f 


v-w  > ^^ifOC:tL  ;^}Jtc  tQ  JitPiCff  9H  xa®  t *i  iafT<^-'»^cf.;X'^-a' 

,-  . '.'  *1^  . 
iv  11  ^JL•pRlif  iX5y>  <>aec(^  taj; 

1‘ A«jc<r  r.  rp»ii.-'  /•  - 1jl^^  ID  .‘ Oa  'id 

j>j3^  .Qil£;i.i*  .,/»:  5;ii'5»'ial  -r^j s , iif' «i 

^ \ A 

9ri&  54>'  :^48S  ,#  c‘i  -jX  utclliv  Jodiiso 

~.  ■ ■•  - ^■':  ' ; , 

,^nte  'iL-i  tm  -u'-  iAt:  . 


,^i 


4ni).-,  ^'i  i\. 


' 1^  " /■* 

f bv-sl  9J  -iM'e.i  0 .' . if  ?i  J 'ijs  j f r"tfrc.3X90- a »<J  i5V94 

\Si  s r "*  --  "'  ’*.''^ 

^ t^S'X  ■ 3 -I’  .^/rtj^ilfia'i' 

li  ^♦Ixi-m  ,£j^.6:c  li  xe  »V\  ?sfi' iX  >1^4  *i£ 

=4  «-i-*-A  '^•..icliii  a M»n^  owr  : 1^ 


- K>r_  W!f 

-*l  t>bii  i.^  ftl^>^'SS'  3C  iid>  ,- 


fj 


•-n.no  .utns*Q,^il§i*i  '4>!!u.v<^  -«J4?  i ■ ■ .*  iv  \«\'i* -'  -If' 

•5--  ^.1  .. ; ^,XJrav  . 4 - A . .'  f *>.  .- ' J-  . il  jl-j.  ij:*  (iBiHX/X  . * 

. ^ s ' -'  \ I ' ..  r 

'IC  ,n.i  50<jr  ,>r'^!:57*-q 

sr4  ,i??aiv  er-’tj”  iC  c*JH;»4vuo'i*Ti' vr’oif^  nil  W - aX 

g >a 

_J.L  A 1^;  AyAVA  't 

T ■■  'A'  ^ 

XX.%. j5»l  ^*U.^'jl4.-i&  ■ : jf4  ««*: 

“» 'ws  n?  itfa J. 


- ■ t t:»| 

.‘j  M«r  nX^.^sCf 

i^»S- afli 


^t^a>ry  ly  >i9Z.  .*  ^ 5‘tX;bn<3X  >r 

. -C'  ■^n'  . 

*•^v  i«5ir  Ajiti.-Jx*.  * xf<?lxL’afl  iiti.  ■sjmwx  ti 

4,iX  ifl  n./h.  jji  urH  « iiT^C7ef^X4t||^ 

• r:;i-»  l^tj  nX  .-L  rtl  ,x^*fi>4i*‘  «X  ,6;^5^n;oxt 

t*”'.'  “'X; ~ a-pii^  ^2^  e"*#  tN 

4-  oj  ngiaUO  -^-11,  ef- 


r ' Jf 


m U,M  id  yr.  'n  : - J>njtx  , 


4h 


fpipil 


57- 


Journalistic  work,  eager  to  o.ip  hie  pen  into  the  ink  wells  of 
journalism.  Through  all  this  restive  seeking  there  was  an  un- 
dercurrent of  human  sympathy  and  kindliness  for  the  welfare  of 
rcanKina.  True,  Swift  was  wielding  nis  dea.dly  satire  but  even  in 
him  there  was  some  of  tne  sweetness  of  "sweetness  and  light". 

It  was  irom  these  curious  and  vari-colorea  contents  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century  calarcn,  that  the  charmingly  personal  and  keenly 
observant  Tatler  ana  Spectator  essays  emergea. 

-he  eighteenth  century  familiar  essay  did  not  aevelop 
from  Locke;  he  contributed  to  prose  literature  but  not  to  the 
fam.iliar  essay.  For  exam.ple,  Locke ' s Essay  on  Human  Understana- 
inr^  is  net  a familiar  ess^y  but  it  rather  refers  to  a tentative 
inquiry  wniCn  the  philosopher  was  making.  His  style  wa-^  toc  com- 
plex an^  heevy--too  formal  an_  almost  miechanical.  These  sty.^- 
istic  qualiuies  re  also  seen  in  his  lettexs  on  Tolera tion.  One 
sentence  from  these  letiers  conaemns  nis  style  tor  familiar  es- 
say wriLing. 

' Commicn  sense  has  sapisiiea  all  manr.iua  tnat  it  is  a- 
cove  uucir  xc  uo  deciimine  what  ti'^ijigo  in  ihsir  own  natuxe 

inaiiiexent  were  fit  to  be  maae  use  ol  in  religion  ana  woula  be 
acceptable  to  their  superior  beings  in  oheir  worship  ana  there- 
fore the^  ..ave  everywhere  thought  it  necessary  to  uerive  that 
knowledge  irom;  the  imhrediate  •■■.ill  ana  dictates  of  the  goas  then.- 
selves  ana  have  txugnt  xuat  tneir  lorm.s  of  religion  anu  outwara 
rr.oaes  Ox  '\orshi:  were  lounaed  ui'on  revelation;  noooay  aaring  to 
ao  so  absurd  ana  insolent  a thing  as  to  take  u;  on  nxm  to  presume 
■Aith  hxmself  or  prescribe  to  othsxs  by  his  ov/n  authority  which 
should  in  ths~e  indiiferent  • nu  tre.n  things  oe  worthy  of  the  ae- 
ity  no,  m:-,ke  an  acceptable  part  of  his  worship." 

In  this  p r-  ra -raj  n- sen  .cnee  Locke  usea  simip  le  v^ords  but 
in  such  a complex  fashion  that  he  miaae  him.self  very  ailficult  to 
reaa  comprehensively.  It  would  seem,  tnat  ne  failea  to  recognise 
the  value  ana  force  ol  tae  shorter,  less  comi  le  •:  sentence  as  well 
as  of  the  simple,  iniorm.al  epistolary  style.  lurtnermore,  ne 


•»  * 

. .K  i : •.  o\ 

, *t.  1 S-jir^au 
. - 'I 


K . -'  " I-. ' *9't ; lo  Vi.'-^^’  ciu 

‘i'*r?«-0  XJt;  ^‘-V  ;'l,"  '■  JX/cl'i.D  I . ■:  . .:'  .'I 

Vl  v-iil  ,!''.  , L-  :^:'>C  : ■...-  l...  i4.-,0  .•  i... 


. 


. .'N  ; 


j.  ji  ' ■’•?.'  c*>.*0 

Si 


^siic 


V ' > <■ 


ft 


■„  i;  , *'.r  ■ '.! 

. - >n  C f»C  ■ JiA  ftf(j 

r ;X  ' , ‘ ■■  "'n  • ' ^ ~ , 

.Ai  i tiV  :•  ' jt';  »ft. 


01 1 

' ■ ->  .- 

5 


■ liT'-'n . 


,:..j'.  : * i 


■■  r 


. '.  ..  xfc 

. . I 

I ' 

z c: 

■ict'.fi  J. 

- •;  .1?  1. 


4^- 


-38- 


is  pedantic  ana  unbsnaing,  as  is  eviaent  even  in  his  corresron- 
dence  witn  his  belcvea  Molyneux.  The  essence  cf  the  gooa  styl- 
istic quality  01  the  faitiliar  essay  is  as  remote  in  Locke's  writ- 
ings as  it  is  in  those  of  Boswell  ana  Bpinc^aa.  This  formality 
ana  analytic  profunaity  was  due  in  part  to  tne  fact  tnat  Locke 
was  a Rationalist  Pniloscpher.  He  also  appears  to  have  escapeu 
the  iniluence  of  the  seventeenth  century  letter.  In  contrast 
with  Locke's  style  is  that  of  Sir  William  Teniple. 

Temple  markea  his  prose  with  gravity,  polish  and  ur- 
banity. „e  was  not  profounu  nor  .^n.en>^ing  as  was  Locke.  On  the 
other  hana,  he  lacked  sincerity  anc.  sim.plicity;  there  was  a cer- 
tain affectation  about  his  work  that  shows  Temiple  conscious  of 
his  social  position.  There  was  too,  a certain  polite  restraint 
that  subtracts  from  the  interest  of  his  essays.  Temple  was  ur- 
bane above  every  other  characteristic;  this  c-ime  in  part  from  in- 
herent qualities  and  in  part  from  the  influence  of  the  French 
lett-r-writers.  However  urbanity  is  not  an  essential  quality  of 
the  familiar  essay  ana  Temple  did  not  prove  to  be  as  an  impor- 
tant force  in  the  development  of  the  essay  form  as  was  Dryuen. 

Dryaen  probably  aiu.  moie  lor  the  .^asay  in  modernising 
prose  no  in  i ounuing  a popular  type  of  literary  criticism.  His 
Prefaces  make  a very  near  approach  to  the  essay  in  content  and 
style;  they  treated  in  a cursory  way  the  problems  of  general 
interest.  In  fact,  Dryden  stated  that  he  received  his  ideas  from 
Montaigne  anl  probably  more  so  than  any  other  man  of  this  per- 
iod. He  suggested  that  his  Prefaces  were  maue  up  of  cauaual 
observations — mere  jottings.  Another  nairie  that  calls  attention 
to  itself  at  this  point,  is  that  of  Defoe. 


r 6 ia  ai  unv 


-Iv;a  4^3  yjr  itostsk^  ., ' ua-^XoiI  w^v  jXed  Uii  »6i*fri> 


%« 


ai  rJio:!.  1 v^*i,  5 irtili  isl  i-ls  ^o  % ^Ital 

♦:..««r:.  {3  t4U  ' Ce#-s^  V 1 o 

iIXiU  . Ct  -i.-  f^l^tli/XOX'^  Ol  i.H ' 


©-•u  :.♦  i*T4i  1^-*  o^Xj6  eU  < *ii ,a 


1^  j-e'i-TJrtOw  nl  "■^a!s‘t''  N -.1  to  soAtS-wi^i  adi  ^ 


.cli^T  «*a:fj5f  XijI.lo  «;  01*?*  fr^niood  ilJiw  ^ 

-:%‘'i,su  dslXoq  .Uf  lOiXei’  o£<l':^»r  ■•/i’"’ 

a-.  .f*^’COvi  4a  A C»a  'gaXi,VI|;^ai7’ ,:il3:X|0^’0'  j:j(r»i*-ftj  . 


.i  /^,-i  iAt;sii»  xfif-3  »ut*:£f,"tedxd 

I,  I.  J-MT  ‘ ■ - . - 


, to  v.uoiOAixtoo  oicifiwf  ewoxiB'  -view  cXd  5U004  no-i rti4d' 

j»ii/‘vJT-sii  »XiX<iv;.,.'tix»Xxeo  a »‘ta4t  .iioiifXi*i»q  l^loo.si  fid 

"•  ' ' J-I  f 

-2ui  34-4  &1  ,r;ffT  .r  t*?4  o;uil  e^'Oisxfxfsji  Xdrfijj. 


Ti  . ^ A , , 

-Ai  ^ .-xl  aX  »a-&  oiwtX 

ao“©xT  lu  30(ii>vH4fi  fox^E  i>nx  *oliiX»jp  i^aied 

icr  \tiiliiup  I^i.  Aoa'Ba  14:  3od  *I  Tijf  x^Vi•  . ,9^: txir^iati 

r • • 


-luxsl  n-  tut  lO  ::^3  «rV#T  . ' TA  £ i ;pi' 

■ * l‘ 

. IU14  ii«  4fdJ  xe  4La&dS,©ri>v&3#  sViV  tti  ocrtol  3imX 


nl  ^amwt  iU  -Xi.  vXdisooiii  rnfXxx:]  * -'4 

^ Ixo  '•  « tti  i>«sr  -ot?  , 

,^jai  wi  c>3.  ^19 v a aiivu  , 


J4f:  iaa0rt©3  IQ  >".:  y-''  X^cox^o  a‘  aI 

i 

(i«^a  axiBiii  >lit  I etic-oex  111!  --I'f?  oiJ-eJe  ooPxxCt  4^a»r*  jjI '.3  xn^lal 

'■  -.  ■ '■  : I " ' 

5a  ofrtr  c#  mot?  vIci4:3oi<t  i>qr  sxq^tt^^noH 

XirU/tu.Aa  tr-aoi  xidj  . ■ij.va  X .ioi 


fojhi  rft^C- ..  ■;V  ...  . C^Jl  i'i <>  t 9^'  .tt— — 4»iTC  iX AVlOAdO  .* 


. Mi  >9*7  «j5  « UV'  <J-J  lIOA^i  A'3'v?^ 

■ I ■ ^ 


39- 


Eaniel  Defoe  was  no  mean  contributor  to  prose  liter- 
ature ae  well  as  to  poetry.  He  rendered  his  greatest  service 
to  the  essay  through  his  journalistic  work,  espscic.lly  in  the 
leaning  article  in  his  Review.  This  paper  was  the  immediate 
forerunner  of  all  subsequent  periodical  essays.  Defoe’s  essays 
first  appeared  as  Advice  from  the  Scandal  Club . Later  he  wrote 
aoly  on  all  political  questions  ana  religous  controversies. 

Som;e  of  these  best  known  are  The  Shortest  '■''/ay  with  Dissenters, 
History  of  the  Kentish  Petition  and  an  Appeal  to  Honour  ana  Jus- 
tice. Notwi thstanaing  the  inf.uence  of  Defoe,  the  eighteenth 
century  essay  guinea  its  true  character  and  popularity  of  form 
from  the  Tat ler  and  ‘-'Spectator. 

Steele  published  the  first  number  of  the  Tatler  April 
IS,  1709.  He  seems  to  have  unaertaken  this  /.ork  with  the  re- 
solution to  publish  0.  paper  that  should  show  auvancement  over 
any  previous  one  and  one  which  "should  observe  upon  the  pleasur- 
able as  well  :.s  the  busy  f;-Lrt  of  m.ankina"  — to  auv^  perhaps,  more 

II 

sv.eetness  tc  the  liqht.  Steele  aaapte  - the  letter  form  for  many 
of  his  papers  creating  in  them,  the  fictitious  charv^cter  of  Isaac 
Bickerstaff,  as  the  chief  correspondent.  As  his  reason  for  fol- 
lowing the  epistolary  model,  he  stated  that  in  giving  news,  "it 
seemed  the  most  proper  methoa  to  form  it  by  way  of  a letter  of 
intelligence".  xn  using  the  seventeenth  century  letter,  Steele 
chose  a literary  form  aam.irably  auapted  to  the  essay  for  this 
letter,  it  m.ay  be  recalled  was  simple,  clear,  not  too  formed, 
personal  and  approached  conversation  in  its  effect.  It  treated 
topics  subjectively,  wa.s  seldom;  of  great  length, never  comiplex 
nor  very  profound.  The  tyx'ical  letter  as  exemiplifiea  by  Howell, 


A 

• 4 > ” 


-iftijrlX  ^ftOK?  Oif  ’iQCu^ix^(tm;i/  it  <n  ft**,  r Cuhted  'i\ 


‘ eoitrirjb  ffsocf  'OTjl  ft  111,  df?  . c;»  ea  Ii»fi  eV' ojycfji’ 

*5 


siti -we>  T<jvjJiq  ai!5"f  >r - ^ i<f 

s\» a’'no’t»:  f^^'ait4Il^fl  «*; ># 


^ ; ■ 


? ";  I * ' ■•  ‘ ■ '■ 


. 


, .T  X '^‘i4iio<r  iXi*  no  vld^ 

jm  * • • 

™'  t£fi'^iiC-b<:.  ' ' -..i-"*'  < r^T"  ' ‘ I5<f  05U.  3 

**  ■ ' "SIL  ' -i  * 

-eiA  irr^  off  I tr : cri  as  prt.-  g<if  1^1 


iVv’ 


iiJnfrTtja^fifc  ,dcl^.4  io  uo^tfZ 


.4*1 


.90lf 


M'£ot  %p  X;;'.,0‘  ^1'.-  fto  tirtv'.  pr'jf.  ♦■-tAis.  '^ixu^rroa. 


.jfi 


-* ft  vii^  :sytjt 


IsX^i.T 


va'i^iX  ©■■*'  be 


,ir  vi  .c?3 


’^f'V 


-trl  art?  itJiw  jfitCr,  til  t -.;ti  iS"  srK  .^0^1  ,wX^ 


ffKT^in&oivf^Yr^  ■ vK*,i*s  ■ ,iXL*^?dr'  Ui'i  b*  aolj-i'Iot 


' *■ ; 


t'  t-it#  of  u Kairf^  '.e^.v  ift.-  ^cs 

'**’ 1.'. 

.>«  r;  ‘STti*-'--  u.''-*  • ^Lt-  fii»  bXds 

-V  ' .’  J < . ■ ,1  , 

■^  . , '■'■  • ■•  ,.  ^ • I*  ^ I'-l'*  '• 

Tol  ij-io5  issijal  2d;  sr  I'iir  off  ssnfoe.a 

Oa  .'g'l  lO  ^ t ftff  ,uci>  flX  PXd  lo 


^ iO't  : wiftUfc-  0‘‘ T . t>  AOj.O^  , !lBffeX0i»3X*T  . 

. ffi"  ,ea  = - V^ll^  '•>;■  'ilfff  int  ^CiNO.-J  ^HrX^oX 


1**  *^ti  4*  -'s^c' 


I “ti r •r' i:;  ;r«K>t  2ciff  fioBsoa 
• *'■ 


^ oXt»ff3  ta.vfffffrX  &.  ? :.4ti-4  ,»{r  . . : iXXoffoI  % 


■ ‘^^T- 


Biiff  i^>-;  t^4',  ?s43  3|%|(|=*  yx.vr  {»*;•'  -vo^  . oao^  v 


,CvTiv'!  ooJ  :m  - vai  Iff  .xtffl^X 


>3f  i a.  /..  * ff ins  Xioorieq 


; : w -rw-  teiqoJ 

< . r y 


. 1 :• . .f 


» * 


1 ^^JL^g‘-a  wwm 


; n*‘ylv7xq  xon 


-40- 


Wotton  and  Donne,  gave  moral  advice  but  never  preached,  it  treat 
ed  subjects  in  a cursory  manner  and  was  cleverly  exterci^oraneous 
in  its  auggestion.  In  conclusion,  the  Tat ler  in  its  very  nature 
shows  many  signs  of  the  approaching  periodical  essay.  As  the 
paper  developed,  the  news  element  gradually  disappeared  until 
the  Spectator  succeeding  the  Tatler  became  a series  of  perioa- 
ical  essays  rather  than  a newspaper.  In  regard  to  the  news  de- 
velojiment  of  the  Tatler,  C.N.  Greenough  has  written  a very  int- 
eresting article.^  He  shows  by  means  of  tables  the  relative 
space  given  to  news  in  the  Tatler  as  it  developea.  In  numbers 
1-25,  a sj^ace  of  eight  inches  was  gi^’^en  to  news  in  each  paper; 
num.bers  25-5C,  three  and  a half  inches;  in  numbers  75-100  but 
seven  inches  of  news  appeared  in  the  twenty-five  papers.  In 
the  last  171  num.bers,  there  were  but  fourteen  inches  given  to 
news.  Of  the  last  ICO  Tat lers  all  but  about  twenty  were  con- 
nectea  with  current  news  in  no  way  whatsoever.  This  shows  the 
aecided  tendency  toward  the  familiar  essay.  The  Tatler  may  be 
said  to  have  caused  the  separation  of  the  newspaper  from:  the 
literary  magasine  m.aking  periodical  literature  a distinct  field 
in  journalism. 

The  task  of  develop,  ing  a f miliar  essay  was  well  aaap- 
ted  to  the  personality  of  Steele.  He  possessed  spontaneity  and 
geniality.  Ke  felt  a strong  symp'athy  for  mankind  for  he  was 
well  acquainted  with  life  and  with  his  fellowm.en.  In  his  es- 
says, Steele  presentea  mien  as  they  livea;  all  their  foibles, 

l.-Developmient  of  the  Tatler  Particularly  in  Regara  to  News. 

Publication  of  Modern  Lans;ua,^e  Association.  XXXI  . 


^ Atr r.  ioit:  »vir:  ^QrJa9C;  ^a£i  aqiJeW  , 

• ^ V ■ , • : * ^ 

.^dxo  tXlaV»l»  ».rn  -iXi 

j ■^'^3  * 

*{T9>  i ni  -? S^' - ,sy>'^itX‘Oxico  flX 

an^  «A  i •sxlJ’ c Xit-  yiuiy^~»c 

XJL^fW  liitiu'it*  7,  ;- ^fl^trJie'rji  *?4  ' t^qoq  ' 


^10Xt  Of(y  <3^  il'^A■^0‘^  £tl  ^ It.i'it#  X40I  i 


' -ini  T^'S*  n r,»3^txv  skjX  . U-)  ^.TtX^r^  to  yitoorio-I^v 

, ' f;  . ''  f‘ ' U 

««vX?ii.iBi  Q(i:  «^Xa#ft  To  t'ao««  v<X.  Biftoif  e.i  - 

*iX  xi'H  nT-  oj 

- ■ 


« 


i*riTC£j(K;':^u.^O  iti  .'.A's*.  oJ  io  ooiMtv.,  * 

, ...  • o'-  ■*'  ■ 


O’H-rK  % sjju/fi  nX  ;so:i?.Ti  £ .Zjie  ^uiS-dS  »qoSxi/n 


ill  .^  'r9:iun  bn.  tl-x^n^1  trl’ i :-  io  -•V»v^V*X  rr*v©o 


;i99Jvii1  lU’t  £l»ff  ;S!i4«fw>n  '*£  *««X 


J» 


'-*ro5'  elo^’  V-.^irw?  . iroft * Ao  XX4  ^’it»X.*-4'T  O^X  jT^r  l TC  . 

V . - g ^ 

TvfitX aTsT  \ivmca  siJ^  aw-^pi  .'xiotivc#  ilci») 


4 •} 


- .1.  ' ^ ^ 

OAi  'i-^.ii  iy£j/.T  er  . .^A^a  ''.♦iX-'iifc.  OiiJ  ^ 

six  <5:Xj  Tw  ^,e,^v.‘-'X,-.  oX  1‘J.'^ 

■;^ii  i‘oniXsiiy  ^ ':  sSlT^^  >fiA,idJXX  '; 

j;/  ,.„■<...  .T  ‘ * ' 

. £I>^£1'^- J,  .ll 

V 

Ix^r^.  9^  ^.4X»X-v«.  i;  i-  eil> 

j 1.  Os .-€*«* t* (T-i  lil»  ;<5U^^X*^’  '-  - \* >XisiTOfttMfci^f  * 'TJ  0/  Xsl; 

^<4«  thi  &aXxfnv-^n  ,1  ,^- .- •*  »H  . ^ 

-<-.  Ali  :tl  .{inm-(^iX^%  • • iriv*  jjv.  oTil  i?i#  XXoi  1 


r^f 
!♦  , 


Xif  * vsW  *?•;  M/n  sits-*  »»X4fc‘ 


OX'  irt-Agf  -.  ,r.*  -4  '■'  Z »«£x  .vC  ?ii5»^v'/oQ-.X 

• ^•A^iiJ7.'ts'Jl  oz^to'A  To  noX»^-  ot  Cii?^ 


.ir* 


,41- 


their  gaities  and  their  tragedies  he  touches  with  his  kindly 
colorful  pen.  The  world  is  indebted  to  Steele’s  genius  for 
his  contribution  to  the  informal  periodical  essay  and  for  the 
clever  use  cf  his  character  Isaac  Bickerstaff.  A few  extracts 
from  the  Tatler  will  show  not  only  Steele's  style,  his  ease  and 
sim^plicity,  but  also  the  decrease  in  the  news  items  due  to  the 
tendency  of  the  Tatler  to  grow  into  a literary  magazine. 

"On  Thursday  last  was  acted  for  the  benefit  of  Mr. 
Betterton,  the  celebrated  comedy  called  Love  for  L<^ve.  Those 
exceptional  olayefs  ?/rs.  Barry,  Mrs.  Bracegirdle  and  Mr.  Dagget, 
tho  not  at  present  concerned  in  the  house,  acted  on  that  occas- 
sion.  There  has  not  been  known  so  gre  t a concourse  of  per- 
sons of  distinction  as  at  that  time;  the  stage  itself  was  cov- 
ered with  gentlemen  and  ladies  ana  when  the  curtain  was  ara^-n 
there  wss  discovered  ever  there  a very  splendid  audience." 

“Letters  frcm  the  Haymarket,  inform  us  that  on  Satur- 
day night  last,  the  opera  of  Pyrrhus  and  Demetrius  was  performed 
with  gre-t  applause.  This  intelligence  is  not  very  acceptable 
to  us  as  friends  cf  the  theatre,  for  tae  stage  being  an  enter- 
tainment of  the  re:  son  ind  all  our  faculties,  t ais  v;ay  cf  being 
please^  with  ohe  suspense  of  them  for  tr.ree  hours  altogether  ana 
being  given  up  '.c  the  sh-llo'.'.  s-.tisf action  of  the  eyes  ana  ears 
only,  seem.s  to  arise  rather  from  the  degeneracy  of  our  under- 
standing than  an  improvemient  of  our  diversions" 

"They  write  from  Milan  that  Count  Thaun  arrived  there 
on  the  sixteenth  instant  N.C.  and  proceeded  cn  his  journey  to 
Turin  on  the  Slst  in  order  to  concert  such  measures  with  his 
Royal  Kignnesa  as  shall  ap/pear  necessary  for  the  operations  of 
the  ensuing  campaign. 

These  extracts  show  hov/  the  Tatler  presented  its  news 
item.3.  They  suggest  the  style  of  the  seventeenth  century  news- 
letter— amiisble  friendliness,  ease  and  informality  characterize 
the  extracts  above.  To  see  just  how  the  Tatler  developed  into 
a literary  magazine,  one  mi-y  turn  to  such  extracts  as  the  fol- 


1.  -Tatler  T. 

2 .  -Tatler  4 . 

3 .  -Tat ler  2 1 . 


\ A l> 


A' 

3 


pj 


I 


t 


( 


wt;  • ; f 


- -‘ 
n '•  '^■..»r>  1:  A • ■:’  '! 


< - 


t 1^3  i ft.'f.' 


a^;?  vji  Z1^y>ly't 
a .'cj  \9i:-C‘'  ' 

i-.-' 


.)  .i\ 


~ t 


:sn 


'y  AH 

. r^  ' 


I ■ jjc^X 


■4 

X 


T L - ” . 

• XtillK'Ol 
r ILL  fV*  - ? t 

•a1;X.'  Tf 


■ < - . * L 


: . • ^c: 

-Cc*:..' 

; -J  ■ V-  'ii 

C Ok  ,..w 

Vv'.  --  /V  r ^ 

alw  ‘ioflT'V 
*»•  .-  A .tX  ':i<fatmtxS9 
L J ^S£. 

• ' . r ' 

■ ft 


n 

..  i ■ 

♦ 


a 


-i 


• . 1 c .t:^  , ; . 

..  il  6 .L  ^ •'  -rJ.ii 

* ^ f /**  ** 

1 r>n.  ,9n.kt 


-42- 

lowing  one: 

"Instead  of  considering  any  particular  passion  or  char- 
acter in  any  one  set  of  men,  rr.y  thoughts  were  last  night  em- 
ployed on  the  ccntemplat ion  of  human  life  in  general  and  truly 
it  appears  to  m;e  that  the  whole  species  are  hurried  on  by  the 
same  desires  and  engagea  in  the  same  pursuits  according  to  the 
aifferent  stages  and  aiversions  of  life.  Youth  is  aevoteu  to 
lust,  miaale  age  to  ambition,  old  age  to  avarice.  These  are 
the  three  general  motives  and  rinciplee  of  action  both  in  gcoa 
ana  bad  men,  though  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  they  change 
their  namiss  and  refine  their  natures  according  to  the  temper 
of  the  person  whom  they  direct  and  animate.  For  with  the  goou, 
lust  becores  virtuous  love,  ambition  troe  honour;  and  avarice 
the  care  of  posterity."^ 

The  development  of  a literary  style,  the  creating  of 
the  modern  periodical  essay  m^ay  again  be  seen  as  Steele  philo- 
sophii^es  in  his  "easy  chair  manner"  in  Tatler  176. 

"This  evening  after  a little  ease  from  the  raging  pain 
caused  by  so  small  an  org.ui  as  a aching  tooth,  under  whicn  I 
had  behaved  myself  so  ill  as  to  have  broken  two  pipes  and  my 
spectacles,  I began  to  reflect  with  acjTiiration  upon  those  heroic 
spirits  which  in  the  conduct  of  their  lives  seem  to  live  so 
much  above  the  condition  of  our  make,  as  not  only  unuer  the  ag- 
onies of  pain  to  forbear  any  intemperate  word  or  gesture  but  al- 
so in  their  general  and  ordinary  behavior,  to  resist  the  im- 
pulses of  their  very  blood  and  constitution.  This  watch  over 
man's  self  an:^  the  ccmm:>na  of  his  temper,  I take  to  be  the  great 
est  of  hum.an  perfections  ana  is  the  effect  of  a strong  and  res- 
olute mind.  I ao  not  know  how  to  express  this  habit  of 

mina  except  you  will  let  me  call  it  equanimity.  It  is  a vir- 
tue which  is  necessary  at  every  hour  in  every  place  ;xnd  in  all 
conversations  ana  is  the  effect  of  a regular  ana  exact  pruaence. 


The  essayistic  tendencies  of  the  Tatler  were  furthered 
by  the  Spectator . This  is  to  be  e'Cpected,  knowing  Aaaison's 
love  for  beauty  of  style.  He  used  the  gre  test  care  in  choos- 
ing his  wo  Ida,  polishing  wh?t  he  wrote,  always  interested  in  the 
literary  effect.  As  a result  his  letters  and  essays  were  al- 
ways finished  productions  and  in  them,  he  stands  out  in  a re- 
markable way  as  a force  for  purification  and  vitality  in  dis- 


carding much  rubbish  from  style  ana  content. 


1. -Tatler  120 


lib”;  *40  no 


A 


■>4  3''  ‘ifw  nnA*itHa--'i.i4,n  ^<5,' 


: diisi. 


. r *• 


^>.  t {ii  ;1  •'*  y(n» 

X u/is^' Aixia.  liA's^nb;?  ^ ‘ r •r’.wrt  Ic  jw»iA,^.Jt'' tci'C  ftaxolj 

'<0  ft:  *nj^  ’?>►  v :*i[j  i^uoy  cri 


•si^^  t»^  5 ,'•»  CfA  i ‘gfco  l"37T"1i»Xi«dAi , OM;, 

JCieOiivari:.  * 1::^  /*fj  . 

™ :,^^-  ^^oiSHr\Si  ;^8ifl 

ftl  .:.  4;:  i ifc  ^ci:jl  w-j  :.g4.  n*r4/oc  Xis^t^fisip  9^rtiT  edJ 

• ur^.t*lvr^  ’.if.,,  ♦•r  swxrt  ,^^ifo£iJ’  Jm  i>sJ  mu 

A"-  T'Jci^idJ  v4»*  -:'.v '^ii: i^i^c  ^ -.xi  Yiful*  fiAil^t  tiu  p^autXj 

?<wC<4;  ^kS  ;liri^  ic  i * Joo'S'lh  \ i*  xswwl*  Itoisrtcxj  #43, 1' 

;n.«  HLZ.U  ^vvc^  etrX}0>iO  titrl 

*J‘ . '(V-;*ut:v*c-3  4*  io  eiAO  edS 

,.V-'  ?.  ; - ' ' \;--5’?^ 

r -c  ^>1  A34>si;0:-s^xi;  ■ , ftl';,’' ».  <•’  2e.*i£  j»  !ie *^-£11^ 

F , ^ ' f • ' -r  ■ 

r;^„  -oiri^-r  i'j*  ijRiiv.  i,^,  X' • *.#  oil:v 

I ';■•  ^ . '-“#*•  ♦ 

‘-il  ,i* -1^ ^ . I , 

-A 


I- ki  ’•i^sirrtk.  4 ^■*4i  xrj-  sc*f4qo 

■'•\4  6riu.-  ,.4^  t3' ->.  4»-4}';v’*-  /t  . O#  x<5-i?b«j«;flo 

^ iifrJE,  >e  jA'i  o»i/f  '.'Jk^vd  £'Xi-  ti5sx«> 

.:  sf..:Mic  irs^Zit^  o;  X 

«5»  ^sVii  :n-fiS,.  - r»-:  I '^£.,,5,  '•(^  3L-tVlK-'-.  -'C:  *' li '..  r.Jitlq^' 

#4?  tXao  jN.ii  #«  .^ia  1.'^  xJ  i vti^op rfoiwc 

-i*  irij  p'u^ir  fig  i<i  irtc--’  3 ^ I tit'  3i  'I6  #i-‘ixic- 

‘ -aA  6**  ttoxv' -si  i>er  X/a#/!©'  ai  0# 

4 . rl33*h  > Xrfr  ,.r-c  i r’.r4.  * .;-^a  ’ ;.  • •, ';«v  ix--xiX  acli/q 

vx-  Prfi*  OJ  f .Ji/  5:r&ii 


— \ZO’l‘tk>  ■:  4J't  ,11#  . f’f*  *•^^>*’^•‘7X1  , 16 

Ic  Jl'i  ,fe  tS*  04  i .A  ' c iX?. 


W-fi 

r 

*lAr  A to  A 3X  . ,'j;#iii#j[;5vir  J4  ..£46  $v,  39A  . rifu  v- v<y?4i-oJ' 

^ ;j^i4  nX  I»/TS^  'OP.uX^,  $l|  sX'64  .'AfV^'lii  Ov  .’!*  ifl  ifolftf"  ''■lf3‘ 

:r)A.^^  Utr  tiiiX’'5|t.i-^' *fc>  3^■;>•^l:^  *^V  =x  . rfg 

#4  ■; '•■  'j  -^’iy  j?T  ij.i?  !•*  %■''':  3'i3fU  ;.;.•>*#  BitT 

6'Ao  iwi4/i  >»  oj?  d »d3  \*o, > 

’^oqRo  riA  ©l-ti  Jab3.  B‘'4;;i  crl3  looxf  te  /3l.v»c.  xol  ovol., 

it!  4jB»f#vtAj4X  ,o^o.v4rf;  f^r  t O'# 

-ii*  BXBr  i 3Xijeia:4  -i  »^.' 

•HUl  ^ f^t  - .»tt.  e.'iT£-t4  ni  . ,17”  ioa  • iTOZ4fOt,...OT C -.*' .-t^  Aql t &V4l(9 

9iCUttl^w 

'i 

3 :.«  nr^xt  nv^^iS^vi  d^i-r  ^oi 


ni  l^e^XfV-  ' li . !>' i I -lot  BOilOl 


f^'\; 


aii 


X&£1noT  “ • X 


-43- 


Addison  drew  up  hie  papers  for  the  Spectator  with  serious  ar- 
tistic purpose  but  he  also  created  their:  with  kindly  hunior,  pa- 
thos, a light  playo^satire,  sound  philosophy  and  in  his  well 
drawn  character  of  Roger  de  Coverly,  he  even  suggests  the  com- 
ing of  the  novel. 

However,  Aduison  does  not  seem  to  have  hod  a great 
deal  of  reverence  for  the  informal  essay  of  Montaigne  and 
might  have  resented  being  called  an  essayist.  He  wrote,  "A- 
m.ong  miy  uaily  papers  which  I bestow  upon  the  public  there  are 
some  which  are  written  with  reg^alarity  and  with  m.ethod  and 
othe-s  that  run  out  into  the  .villness  of  essays.  As  for  the 
first,  I have  the  whole  scheme  of  the  discourse  in  my  miind  be- 
fore I set  pen  to  paper.  In  the  other  kind  of  writing  it  is 
sufficient  that  I have  seveiotl  thoughts  on  a subject  without 
troubling  myself  to  range  the'^^  in  such  order  that  they  may  seem, 
to  grow  out  of  one  another  ana  be  disposed  unaer  the  proper 
heaas.  '^eneca  and  Montaigne  are  m.oaels  for  the  last  kind  as 
Tullus  and  Aristotle  excell  in  the  other-r  — Method  is  not  less 
requisite  in  ordinary  conversation  than  in  writing  proviaed  a 
m.an  would  talk  to  make  him.sslf  understood. " ^ 

Addison  was,  then,  a conscious  stylist  but  in  hia  de- 
sire to  be  clear  and  simple  and  in  hia  use  of  the  form  of  the 
seventeenth  century  letters  and  "Characters”,-  he  was  never  too 

1.  -Spectator  #476  - This  paper  has  been  assigned  to  Addison. 

2.  -See  Earl's  Miccsrrograph . "Characters"  were  clever,  , informal 

pen  pictures  of  types. 


T 


.m 


Wi»r 


"4 


“>  ' » ^ *1  ' -,qni 

-rp,  icv^Ajgftjq?  tr^J-.  ioT  nr-eut^i-j  fid  .jrT,f*Ti»  ao9llt£>k 

^zdOiXiti  xil^iw  <5.^<r  c^,Jjk  r»i\  ^«<w|rx*‘:j  oi;f«jL^ 

nti-at  rtg  yrf iiOi5oXi4«:r  1 .u/vi  *80rf;f 

4,'-'  ■ « ■ - ► J_.  ;.', 

“ .9V-  e.u  'lo  fac»o<6Ta^o  *d««Ti 

^ 'A^.l9vi>n  sdi'^o  f.dl 


t ^ 


iax.j  Ai  ci-f  .xe  vi#»6»l  ^ 

:Jc  % % :»r;:8xsvf-xHo  i -t^a' 

* ' ' ' 

-i.;  ■ 49Jc»»  .t  ^5J  . >;i;  .9-  '/v^J  ^iisiai 


*.i^ 


l'^4  l\ 


**'■  .IP" ■ r <5^  X Xti^i '’Siloin 

^y\'^  >.>4J'  aiij  5iS08::- 

n‘  JEJij;  ?*4r  »v4rfi  X 

■ ,f  ® ■ , ' ' - ■ ' '*  '-3  S\ 

‘."i  li  ; r-^^o''  ;.  f .-J,  ,';  ' eiot  ^ 

^ 4J}vf  . *5^^;w^a  ^ -di;  itJcfe^|i.‘  bjxsTlJ||y>  rsfel  J ij?i  : i»'^ioXl‘i«i% . 

* ■ 1 "^1 

3 • TSftc,  \»jfr  ,,g;  ^?3ia...  c: 

adJ  xditiu?  -i-I:,'  -,i4'  i.-.it  'Xd>i;iw.v  an  To 
fcnl*  yn-L  taj  xii’i  rt#  -.*rt'  :«:?/  Lm.  AO-^iiy.' 

tfaaX  ,to/s  £i  x-odJai' — yz:  •afS9  r;i  'IX*o>o  ^ . 


c ♦r 


41  ,ijooi *'Dl<j  gifUix*  JjL  tuts  -';  - TT-iriftig*. rz>jfc&  YX/>/jfivi'o  a/i-rii  8x 


A « 


^t<im  -"'••: ^-.im  liT*#'f/ ,.  ©wjs.t  ^>'Xwcw 

-■j;  'nirf  al  .^-8  doeil/LA 

* - *■  - * ' ** 

^•-4  la  Taol  2iJtif -1e  '•  la  ru  _.:.  »I  ■tii*'  *jd^  XA>^tig  ».:  t-i 

^ OC«f  i^van  a 4*^  » -a  ioapi."i4  .ID”  *51 

fe  / 4,  V* 

I t..  < . ^ ' ■ 

* I 

- BV^i  T^3»,*'ioi  V3-.  f 

* i *XSV<?^'T-  ” **"*0  *^*.1  li  t »u  » I r ►»  '*  •.  * 

•s  '5':^  !•?  ifiai’X  ca<[ 


'%  . 


■■  c 

I 


■awHBVwaea 


P96CTOB 

- • ;£«> 


-44- 


heavy  ncr  stilted.  He  produced  essays  deep  or  trivial,  sober 
or  airusing,  kindly  or  satirica.1;  discussed  every  thing  or  any- 
thing from  vilton's  "Paradise  Lost"  to  the  head-dress  of  women, 
iiost  of  the  subjects  Audiscn  dealt  with  in  the  Spectator  were 
questions  raised  through  fictitious  letters  adaressed  to  "Mr. 
Spectator"  and  answered  by  him.  Some  few  of  the  Spectator  pap- 
ers were  essays  with  no  excuse  for  being  except  their  very  nat- 
ure. -An  example  of  the  former  is  Spectator  88  in  which  is 
printed  a letter  from  Philo  Eritannicus  complaining  of  the  faith 
lessness  ana  sins  of  servants.  Under  the  pseudonym  of  "Mr.  Spec 
t at or, "Addison  replies,  "This  honest  gentleman,  who  is  so  de- 
sirous that  I should  write  a satire  upon  grooms,  has  a- great 
■aeal  of  reason  for  his  resentment  and  I know  of  no  evil  which 
touches  all  mankind  so  much  as  this  of  the  misbehavior  of  ser- 
vants)" with  this  opening,  Addison  expresses  his  grievances  on 
the  servant  problem.  The  same  style  em^ployed  in  these  letters 
was  used  by  Aaaison  in  his  inform.al  essays. 

In  the  following,  well-ordered  extracts,  A*--di3on  ap- 
pears as  the  more  cor  ful,  form.-il  writer.  These  few  lines  give 
the  feeling  that  "the  whole  schem.e  of  the  discourse"  was  in  his 
mind  before  he  set  pen  to  paper; 

"Women  in  their  nature  are  much  mure  gay  and  joyous 
than  men;  whether  it  be  that  their  blood  is  mjore  refined,  their 
fibres  miore  ..elic  te  and  their  animal  spirits  more  light  ana 
volatile  or  whether,  cs  some  have  im.aginea,  there  may  not  be  a 
kina  of  sex  in  their  soul;  I shall  not  pretena  to  determine. 

As  viv.icity  is  the  gift  of  women,  gravity  is  that  of  men.  They 
shoald  esch  of  them  therefore,  keep  a watch  upon  the  particular 


ii 


-,■«- 

*■ 


.iot^CNN'  ^ *'t  ** ' ’ v'J  ■»•  , . <(*:  “ f ’ i\r  ■’  '■  "5m 

:ic?  .>.*£■  ^!^-C  ».V  ;f  i<y^*oif 

' 'V ' ’■  , 

r.  . •;!>  ” r.  ’■'lil  'Vv' 

^ -v»'i  (w  = c . .Lii'^  ift*)'.'*:  -r-'i  '^;'^^4fc#a3qli 

-^«>3  \'xev*  ■'ll''  . -r  :..  ..vi3  ijV'W  a*x* 

^ - '■  ” * ' ' ’"ilL 

; If '-'-ill  !'>:  I * ai  ''-ff  iir,  .a^v  ^ 

* *•  ^ * 

\ sfl.*  .'  %tisru.,  I jaJflil'q, 

* * * ■♦  *\ 

^ ^ *'■  irt 

1^".  1^,  su’COt  ^^99^  iHi 4 i^bjtV  ,ufiv  y,tj 

^ ■',  ' 7'fr; 


**!>&  r 


-«*t  OA  l2  cftti  v*..‘-rirf  ■*;'S  3 il' ail',""  * 


V®  *'  IV  r 


'-xi  ■ u ' T ‘0  4 

Iv  iv^  ue.'f  i-^  cu*  ‘‘•A#  ^ -Z  it- 


a 


•#' 


rtiZ  t3eat<*iA  f ^ 


riis-jaX  5-' 


' t 


lx:r  6 ■ .1'' 


'i  V*  n-^  &ttf 


-fc  d 


Xj4^»r> '•  TfX'  < . 1 _ 'w  • ‘ ' 


v6  . -'3>?'l.' 


SfSlI  ill 


«f1 


^ ■' »■  --  '■ : X 1 . i # i't '»  X wic  1 . - .. ;..  9 • . *“  fs;lf 


sTi-f  jU  ,4  <»  j>.  ai 'iC#  ‘ ■-  l 


i f 


i%  rp^i\  '.’  r^4  T . t 1 AaXft 

^•«  ■ ^ ‘ * t 

noNI»  Tl-»i  i; 


S*'  ■ ■» 


" ’ ,<* 


/.* 
v^  -•  »• 


I 


t-  ';  -’;;r^  “i  rCKjXtf" 

■?■'  ^t. 

:i . ?'i  • aj  i •'-< . 

' ‘ ^ y - V- 

rfj  ;>3  *^a.  *:\«.>.  r^  .ikU  ^11'  .Coir 


/(  ■■i'?''5c  *;  -cf^  i'X** 

r*'wl:'  / i^--  vj  r.*i.,r*-^  !,  ‘ * ' ^*1^-1^ 


. -irl-sj. &;'?.*  ‘'<54 


- ||4  ^ XfJ  ^4ix  ( 

' 


, . IT  .IfiHT  Tu-  ('./iill 


* • j,  - • I 


3>*  , -t  ^ 6*ljc  'i»ifr  f»!*l54f  '*'•9  XX»  Wila 


.^i- 


• I 


-45- 


line  3 wWhich  nature  has  fixed  in  thsir  minds  that  it  may  not 


draw  too  much  ana  lead  them  out  of  the 
Addison's  careful  planning  of 
gain  in  his  paper  concerning  Hypocrisy 


paths  of  reason." 
his  writing  appears 
in  Spectator  599; 


a— 


"Hypocrisy  at  the  fashionable  end  of  the  town  is  very 
different  from  hypocrisy  in  the  city.  The  modish  hypocrite  en- 
aeavors  to  appear  more  vicious  than  he  really  is,  the  other  kind 
of  a hypocrite  more  virtuous.  The  former  is  afraid  of  anything 
that  has  a show  of  religion  in  it  and  woula  be  thought  engaged 
in  many  criminal  gallantries,  amours  which  he  is  not  guilty  of. 
The  latter  assumes  a fcce  of  sanctity  and  covers  a multitude  of 
vices  under  a seeming  religious  deportment." 

Another  example  of  the  literary  aevelopmient  of  the  Spec- 
tator is  found  in  Addison's  philo ^03  hiding  on  living  in  the  Sy  ec- 
tator  454. 


"It  is  an  unexpressible  pleasure  to  know  a little  of  the 
world  ana  be  of  no  char  cter  nor  significancy  in  it.  To  be  ever 
unconcerned  and  ever  looking  on  new  objects  with  an  endless  cur- 
iosity for  speculation.  Nay,  they  who  enjoy  it  must  value  things 
only  as  they  are  the  objects  cf  speculation  without  arawing  any 
worldly  auvantage  to  themselves  from,  them  but  just  as  they  are 
what  contribute  to  their  am.userrent  or  the  improvement  of  the 
miind. " 

In  these  short  passages  the  chatty  qualities  of  the 
true  essay  are  emiphasiied,  she  writer  enters’ into  m.ore  confi- 
aential  relations  with  the  re  aer.  Briefly,  the  style  approach- 
es micre  nearly  to  the  careless  easy  elegance  of  the  talk  of  gooa 

society.  In  making  these  qualities  realities,  the  Spect.;tor 

2 

papers  did  more  than  any  other  influence.  At  this  time,  Ad- 
dison seem.s  to  have  been  almost  unique  in  his  ability  of  mak- 
ing a careful  and  exquisite  choice  of  woras  without  beconiing 


1 .  -Spectator  12 8 . 

2.  -Burton,  Forces  in  Fiction,  1902,  88. 


y • V ■ ■ , ■ 

^ . '■-•».  fit  e:  ’'icr,,*  a;  <j'3iL<.---4UT  ui^nll 

'■  ,i  5^'  9>'  ':g- 

^.  :\  t:  cuii  fiiUttir  .:-r;  i^^(^0£/a 

■ "4r  ®t.  1&  fill  l<j -Jvi.*,int,{  , * / 'v^viJBgA  :i  ' ^ 

rgikv  ' ai  als^ 

’it»v  f i rT'  o.-*  ^4.‘!  Ic  f4(r&  i- SS 

' <ii 


1>  c/i#7yi/*jL.rTi  » 'tp  - fT»  i * *4  tf'  e *p’.w5iK4f  <wiT 

_ • ’^..'  ^ ni'fcSf  4i  - Air -9tt^v  .j 


it'd^oaA  ^ 


-vj^: 


p a \P:iJ  ~ ...  : :^*T  v tZl^Xldy 

i:2  'a  ti pa «‘;i I <■■;■.' 1.  jjw  VO  J -‘  . :. 

■ ■ ‘ ' ‘"  sW  r<  ' 


i 


;Sw*  ■<?  ce-I^JtjUi  C‘  . .r*  %47  - - Hj:  r-1 

i3  .•  - 


? *.  **  J»  * 


im 


-XlftQ:’  ot;  .>:  ■ *■  .nC..  j • '•''1''.  * r • «>  »i^X 

p iX'iX's  aii^-  ^ii'1^1,1  ..  i*.‘-.  -..\t^'? 


Uir  /i  r w*it 


■ic.i  ,»-*v 


’-..A  ' 

^ :^Vm?:J( 

M?  It'w  :^'  , . 'lu  “M  * , /t  . 

l±MlO  Off  ; . l‘t  «•  2|l||  •. 

* * 

;»  , ' w 


: -.!’•  .?/  '(ii,  *4i*  as 

C*._.  ,j^  i/w  Jff  . i' 

n-'.-Sjt  V u ta-*  1 

.ri4’  3cr-  I >-'■  ‘' 

U>  "»liPi'.<A%.  iVfV’  ftfi' lAv  ‘‘  3»J 


it^  '*  . :l.i  T».V;C>.a‘:r-.X 


.1  i-.  ■’•Tf-'  1.. 


> 


-46- 


euph-.uist ic,  pedantic  or  formal.  This  gift  made  the  Spectator 
papers  so  great  a force  in  aeveioping  the  literary  perioaical. 

It  seems  that  Steele  could  not  refrain  from  editing  a 


paper  for  immediately  following  upon  the  last  num.ber  of  the 
Spectator.  cam:e  the  Guardian . Steels  was  a contributor  as  well 
as  editor  while  Aadiscn,  Pope,  Berkley,  Parnell,  and  Tickell 
wrote  to  numerous  essays  in  an  attempt  to  meet  the  demana  for 
the  new  literary  type  of  journalistic  writing.  The  Guardian 
appearing  in  1713,  was  maae  up  of  essays,  some  in  letter  form 
but  all  showing  the  influence  of  the  letter  in  developing  the 
familiar  essay.  Pope  in  writing  for  the  Guar ai an  reveals  the 
influence  of  the  Spectator  papers.  This  may  be  seen  in  two 


letters  aiscussing  the  Short  Club  written  to  Nestor  Ironsides 
^ 1 

Esq.  ana  signed  Bob  '^hcrt.  They  reau  in  part: 

"Sir; 

I remember  a s.  ying  of  yours  concerning  p-ersons  in  low 
circijmstances  of  stature,  that  their  littleness  would  haraly  be 
taken  notice  of  if  they  aid  not  m.anifest  a consciousness  of  it 
themselves  in  all  their  behavior.  Indeed,  the  observation  that 
no  m.an  is  riaiculous  for  being  \.hat  he  is  but  only  in  the  af- 
fection of  being  something  rrore  is  equally  true  in  regara  to  the 
n.inu  ana  to  the  body. 

I question  not  that  it  will  be  pleasing  to  you  to  hear 
that  a set  of  us  have  formed  a society  who  are  sworn  to  "dare  to 
be  short"  and  boldly  bear  cut  the  ^ignity  of  littleness  unaer 
the  noses  of  those  enormous  engroa^ers  of  manhood,  those  hyper- 
bolical monsters  of  the  species,  the  tall  fellows  that  overlook 

US  . 

The  day  of  our  institution  was  the  tenth  day  of  Decem- 
ber being  the  shortest  a y of  the  ye  r,  on  which  we  are  to  hold 
an  annual  fei-at  over  a aish  of  siirimps.  The  place  we  have  chosen 
for  our  meeting  is  in  the  "Little  Pia.i:6a"  . " 

Here  Pope  has  aaaed  to  the  essays  of  Aauison,  the  qual- 
ity of  satiric  f ' cetiousness,  so  char  cteristic  of  him.  In  dis- 


tinct contrast  with  these  papers  of  Pope,  in  content,  subject 


l.-Guaraian,  91  - 9^'. 


. : >^<r  • -ii  :a-dVAl  t ^ :♦  :.a*j;^  or  a!ie<Y^“ 

' 41*  >,  /-  , ^ ' 

♦ i*  * .;ir  #.V.a^.ft  v^t  ^ . 

* at  1 > '4>»'  f »tfc  -?5> « { i t&?  ^ i ^*11 1 

’IXe.'toi'^  lif'  -il  *rWiiu&  sruf. 

aoi^  v*-9v;:  of  ■_ ' ?4  iT»  nt 'Wp 

^ '•'  'A'B  *»  -•■®» 

• ^ ’ » .1 


' A * •’  • gi'  ' 


iX^l  lVrJ&.r*  .114  : '1  »«Y  Hi 


• , ^ - I 

:o»i  Xr?  >-?€  * ur  io^.t»jJc(sfn<tt  S^u:  SIm 

’ ■ . ■ ^ ' -^ ' /■;’■  • ■ '"  - ' ' 

047“  oih*-  Vt>^ 


oiiv’-'-VdiL  ..  I:,':..if  5'Vj/^-’'‘^'  ^ txl ‘dM^^  ‘Ue^li-^t 

■ 4 ^ ■■•  Off  « tix  Itl  •?  ® ' 


'|iii«7iit'‘i-’3^'-  ‘io.i-4fc-)HH  o6'.1’7  i.x^/i<iq£D' '1192?!^:“^^  fri»7'7oi 


;7l..  j ilZ  ...ti 


r'-'  •. 

M 9 


fi^X  i”^f  ay4|-^'^aCldhwof;^p  41U.  ’xa I -,» 

«.-  vxx^'E.^^ij;  tc  ff^ : : ij.  '*': 

“f  I “to  - ^t^xwii'.' £ Origin  ’ E.ft?.i"v^al  •^^■^T’■Xi•^-■  \^rfy  t£  !:■  -f6£.'3.i  rt4i5- 

Jr^4v-  'fi,  i7 ''^iJiy^Mtfe  .-H:  XT  . «i'  b vX«dkRrcf£; 

'-'.:i  Jii  \.‘X;4<^  v'"i.’.  '.i  o/. ' , '.•-45A  >-?;?(i*'?ioi'i  c n^»  ^ 

C‘7‘  i:*.«  K&^ '-.1  -sthx  .'oi'.'^-e-ft  •%r\..tLlt  gfiitoo  ic- 

; v'tjf  rt- i ' 4y>  I •’‘Si 


» 1 C‘. 


> .♦ 


J*n  a^o 


Qt  ...  <nGP»r 


*■-  ' i V - -t 


•ajf  ^ 


\’i..uir  €3r>if?^X'  X</  Jx;  '..-->4  •iii.i''.'  -n  '’Jxrift  3^  «•_*• 

. -'I  . ';;A,A  jxl'J  tJ:-:'Ofiit^)lJ,  W iS'i'^:  / i.,,-;"  %‘j.o;.v  - Ji>:  "t  ■ . -' 

- J:-iir  e»‘.  >XXo\  ^ti'H'  *^47  tu'X  to  .•'S’!»J 4iii34  . 


. «0 


X.  .?lo  i|fcf5  . -47  <MT^  .x:X-vI'Si>7  ti/i  ^ 

^r.'c  -J  4.?.  5^*  ito^'O  1'.  'W' >1- £ 

^•^  ilct'^  Ti\  •*‘---  ' i «*3  ..r.'i»,-  < xitvc  liimtiu  ■ 

. ' v*V 


*:  ■ ;o  , , 

■ U-*XJ”  ffV  a.  Ai  iJTM'f-x  'iiio  T-< 
l^J  V 

*-.“,7  v'ttiwXi-'V  to  g[4' 


:?7_  Lab.  flf  * il  fjO^ 
sjX  .i8t  • i:  “s  9/X>  .5*'^^Ao>3.*a.-Y  to  ..:7i,* 

* s'  .%•,-  ' ■'  » • , , * * 

.1  U .«  • 

f'iocp“  , 4 4.U*  Q“^i»  v1'  * ir:t^0  70i5i.^ 

r V— 


■'  .4  • 


matter  and  the  attitude 


-47- 

cf  the  writer  toward  hie  subject,  is 
the  following  letter  of  William  ^'"otton  on  "The  Imm.ortality  of 
the  Scul" . He  writes; 

"No  man  that  rea^s  the  evangelists  but  must  observe  that 
our  Blessea  Savior  does  upon  every  occasion  bina  all  his  forae . 
and  seal  to  rebuke  and  correct  the  hyp^ocrisy  of  the  Pharisees. 
Upon  that  subject  he  shoAs  a warm.th  which  one  meets  with  in  no 
other  port  of  his  sermons.  They  were  so  enraged  at  this  public 
aetection  of  their  secret  villainies  by  one  who  saw  through  all 
of  their  disguises  thet  the/  joinea  in  the  prosecution  of  him. 

The  fre'^uency  and  vehemency  of  these  reprehensions  of 

our  Lord  have  m.ade  the  word  pharisee  to  be  looked  upon  as  odious 
among  Christians'."*^ 

ihis  quotation  from,  the  letter  or  theology  aaareased 
"To  the  Author  of  the  Guardian"  is  suij.  icient  to  show  the  sim- 
plicity, the  informality  of  aiction  and  conversational  tenden- 
cies that  the  epistolary  popularized  forn.  introduceu  even  in 
the  discussion  of  prcfouna  theological  problems. 

'^ther  perio^^icals  followed  the  course  of  the  Tatler, 

Cr  ectat or  ana  Guardian,  trending  away  from  the  newspaper  toward 
the  more  literary  m.agazine.  Among  these  were  The  Fngl ishm.an. 

The  Freethinker,  and  The  Restorer.  ^11  appearing  between  1713 
and  1718.  Nathan  Drake  ccllectea  essays  from  these  papers  and 
published  them,  in  four  volumes  of  The  Gle  ~ner^  in  1811.  The 
essays  of  this  collection  show  the  s.jne  Bim.plicity,  ease,  in- 
formality and  conversational  tone  of  gooa  society  as  uia  those 
essays  of  Addison,  Pope,  an^  others.  Almost  without  exception, 
the  essaysin  the  Gleaner  were  written  to  excite  interest  in 
commiOn  problems  and  events,  show  the  popular  appe-1  of  these 


1 .-Guardian  #93. 

D. -Nathan  Drake  in  preparing  his  Literary  nours  for  , ublic;: t ion 
maae  a collection  of  these  es.says  from  various  papers  of  the  per- 
ioa.  He  felt  the  worthy  of  being  ;Ublishea  --.n^  accomplished  his 
.urpoee,  preserving  for  us  som.e  of  the  choicest  of  these  early 
perioaiCcl  essays. 


V 


( n;.  , i£fi^  ta  ifC?>X  -aX»oXXo'J  ^^^t 

■ ' ^ - - I ■ - ’ ' ..s  . ' ^ 

;e5?i’i**  -srH  .“Ij[/t<5  eiO  5 


-h  It;  tjfiC  <T:;*4w  .;ir4i.  « * ^»^£U  : il  ♦Cl  r /»4;^  iJC 

rf"  ;;  • .%>  .Bre  a,  - V 

- u ^(g.' <?“avT  #,..c  ..‘sv  »nc  ; ttiJni^IIiY  .'■•ei ye*  *5.4^' 2 SoXfofii^ 


iy  ^lye*  j .^oXfoa^sL 
*'(iici  :«?;*  ;>r.vt  ,cXtw(#-  to'^ 


. y_  '1 V 1 ^j'o*  e 91 1 6 i,  < ... 

lo  wK  -'.T  riit-ri 'tri  * a *;»,,/  ii.'  n'*’’ — 

f UtiiiC  ».‘  :::  :a  ?;  r..n  31?  iioJ  t£«o 


^ r B iT  1 f - 1 1 J!)  ;^o«S 

'«»  • 


4JL'Jl.  : 


-ti,'i  at’.  o.:  Jxw:;«>iU  -.  '*.;♦  &t'X  ■oT'* 

.,''CL-  L'VJ^^XrOiXtli  .let  v€iXlai:;T:v  ' f 


. bur  i ■ o*i  i : ic 

*A£.^ilX  at'S4/c«o  a;ij  iww'ijfr'v'*^  fflt  'j 


lts>^TB«ra«  arfii  ,.tic;tl*  VMl  adX*rfC6X."’  ^ l ' ■(  fUV  -Xjai 

,**  7*1  * 

^Aeuiht  laril  eye#  •t  sAS  jg 

ri»* 

£1*^1  xsaayXa,  ^iiitavV4^-  Ii.v  ,if;-i; : f^i^r 

I ^ rfl.:- 

Xiiii^i'  dl- vsac,;  '/.I 


’.-1 


i*r? 


'*-i 


> ■ -P-^'X^45i 


-■ 


• ^ - P 'i  t?'  ft  . *?i9  -XCfOV  fr.iXJX.%1f  . 5a«i  i 

nt  ftj  ^^b,. .4  v ot  Ms'ii'j 

i'-i  \ ‘Sef:-  \ si  Tlttli^\  ^ .J  f(,f.t>  .?l50*fXOU  -id?  >C'  6'X’^ttatf 


9bCSiJ  Lslc.  .;3^  i->.j|'.  X irr  *•<  .<  . >*1  ; Vi1  L‘0  i’  ;tr 


^ 4.*  /'•i5yx:J- •'* V rr^o  1 f ffc.itllfei  .-MeC'^.c  . ft*  ,,p«4i.-i aoX.. b© 

^ l!i  ■•*'S'is3i:l  yi-,,  ‘xai>  t^TC  *<'.*  esU 

' _ ■■■  ■'  i ’ V ■■  ■ •.-'■  ?<% 


■p'’ a.T£i  ea  t*- a !*.*;■ 


: ao.iiiiiio 


r#;i 


' .cu&xX  'Toi'Xtiii 


. ,'i  li  X lXi>*5  - . X 


•I  1<>  aeld&eXXoe  .•  • r. a '■ 

] *'Swr*^A  ^ •*•  •’ te-'  iX  jw-  , f:  -v-aX 

*'  -w  ■'  V 


I *• 


-48- 

papers,  one  froir;  The  Tn.g^lishaan  on  Alexander  Selkirk  offers  a 


good  example; 

"I  do  net  think  it  foreign  to  rr;y  design  to  speak  of  a 
rr.an  born  in  her  ir.ajes tie’s  dominion  and  relate  an  adventure  in 
his  -life  so  uncommon  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  like  has 
happened  to  any  other  of  the  human  race.  The  person  I speak  of 
is  Alexander  Selkirk  whose  name  is  familiar  to  the  men  of  curios- 
ity frcrni  the  fame  of  nis  having  liveu  four  years  ana  four  months 
alone  in  the  island  of  Ja.uaie  Fernanaez.  I had  the  pleiasure  fre- 
quently 00  converse  with  tne  m.a.n  soon  after  his  arrival  in  Eng- 
land in  the  year  1711. When  we  consiaer  how  painful  ab- 

sence from,  company  for  the  space  of  out  one  evening  is  to  the 
generality  of  m:ankind  we  right  have  a sense  of  hew  painful  this 
necessary  and  constant  solitude  was  to  a man,  bred  a sailor  ana 
ever  ^ccusoom.ed  to  employ  and  suffer,  eat,  arink  nd  sleep  and 
perform,  all  offices  of  life  in  fellov^shii  ana  Cv^mpciny." 

xhe  writer  continues  with  the  story  enaing  with  miorcil- 
" u.at  x-c  is  sappiest  who  confines  his  wants  to  natural  ne- 
cessities ana  ue  that  goes  farther  in  his  ussires,  increases  his 
^'anta  in  proportion  to  hia  acquisitions".^ 


‘nother  micn  aeals  v«ith  "Superstitions"  This  indicates 
the  e -:tent  of  the  fiela  of  the  essay-writers  and  their  attem.pts 
to  entertain. 

"There  see-’:  to  :-e  cert  in  set  of  unh-.-^py  r repossessions 
peculiar  to  the  loaer  f :.rt  of  m.an>:ina,  which  conveyed  to  them; 
sooner  than  their  letters,  never  forsake  thei:.  even  till  they 
bena  upon  the  stick  and  pore  through  spiectocles.  f^uch  are  the 
notions  of  fairies,  lercns,  spectres,  the  powers  of  natural  m^agic 
ana  the  terrors  of  witchcraft  a.11  vvuich  they  entertain  with  ca  pos- 
itive confidence  of  their  being  true  and,  wh?.t  is  worse,  make 
them,  part  of  their  religion  Itself  sc  that  a wise  iian  would  find 
it  a matter  of  no  srr.ell  difficulty  to  cut  off  this  branch  of 
superst Iticns  from,  their  m.inaa  v\ithout  aoing  injury  to  the  stock 
they  graft  it  upon." 

Essay-writers  continuea  this  y r ctice  of  furnishing 
the  public  with  yopular  essays  as  late  as  175c  when  The  Aaventurer 
Was  being  pu''lished.  However,  before  this  time,  rr.c^ny  ha^  given 
up  the  letter  for-  entirely  or  used  only  the  slight  form;  of  the 


l.-The  End'll ahm.an  — Dec.  3,  1713.  Gleaner  I 
S' . -Gleaner  T , 3 . - 


t J?. 

■h 


A tiv  4r>rtv  ^cfy  -c^tJ  iaa®*aT9 ^JKj-' 

■‘u  ■ 


» ,-■ 


■Vi 


.;S  ' ^ 

A wv^  n.«  ix  ijii'H.-  jqij'  .-ii:!''' 


* •»■»  '“  ^ ^ ^ Jmt  « BM*  ''A  4V  *■  *J^  • ^ 

« ’ai.-?^^^(;ecT  i/»d  TTi  inocJ  xwAs, 

T\.  V iiT*' i -ifTc:#?:!?.,  4rfl'.  .'io#'t  i'^,.>f:  iifii  \o  itfrtjjj  x%A-^.  teu^xg%fyt{ 


:?*’•,  cTiU  c^,xjiJ:,*i; 


ji'-  - 


11  i'xi'iXv?'TLc«n'i^Xir**l 


yiL^-'  ia  J"  •'f' ' " i-TSuXa?  • 9lir  W 9it6X^» 

• X^'ti:..^;  . ■.■■T  sir.  rxi^r'— vrf-?  aX  isfljsJjilS 

^ h&fV^Uv  .,.  ^.  ;.^r^  r .-.^^_.-i  :,.  •.  .-^  'P  /|«r5  -oil 

; • - .^V  ^ ❖‘.vi-  ;N*ii'i, -?'<..♦.  18^’  ;*t . . >t  .^a'isiflixt^S 

*/-  ■ ' V ^ ii5»ia  *fVti  TT  ^ . 1 i Xxi^S  .l-b'lriiO  ^Uixc 

tiiJi  I'Oo.i'o  : ■ia^'iiV  ,J£1,  <? ♦ , •.  ' 


Vt-. 


Jj  t-'  S,i?£c»i  nr,fc  dUX-'fe  iil  ^m.(yli9^ 

- \ 


-i4.5^-:3  ui^i#  >-ci::xi«  'Sfid,.'.  l^?x.l■■•^aOLfaiv/«^9  »xfr- 

• ■ 1 . , ^ • ■ ' t * 

lU . ; ;iA  i I ^ i ,‘  I r Xi  x -.•  -tJU*»  'l  /’«  CJ  ^ u 4?)t4  H i 4 1 * »^ . ; • 


X 


epi^XfMii/cD  ^'Isl  4 » 


T»dk  j C-XJDuX  *5llrfT_  ^OOCOi.^'i  ^>rXy  Ci:-Xi'(9J&  fS  "3  'lA.'^f^ifA 


x<fi4  lo  &I$il  ;jd^-  “io 


i - V 0 .%:,  V 

k.  2 • 


i-X^j  ..t>v^;'-  4xi5>^  at^«io-'t  1 

»♦•-..  ^ r.  . r,.  ici.  ^ n T-.r 


■•'lei^fi^,  s>J 

■ 


»-;JI(  ^ ^ :5?:dv^'»  vf*V.  • »*w_ 

' ■^.  4-’%T-i:Vt---  '-X  i'-  ’ XX^oVq 

f !.:lr 


. . J?  '■  ..,*  ti..,,4  iii.i'.  4.0  ,*■«-  , 'ittr7; 

r.a.^.al  «_v  1:^  -:  ,Ojl  la  ^ U “ 

xc^.c-  e*,.t  i ^nia^  ..wjj  f 


MV  iH  A4  E 


: r->  ^■ 


> V - 


- l > 

_.  f 


1'  Xi  *:ai.,  OXIcfil' 


■'X*  .i  ^.ii-  • ^%prt  J-  . A X rsfcf '..T? 


' — \> ' 


*•: .-~-H 

' ' V'X'>*X-,-;li.cr  •'.'Oiiq-^-.  X -iro.g^  »xiT - . 

.€»*?  TggTglc^-:; 


-49- 

letter  by  heaaing  their  essays  '’Sir"  and  perhaps  signing  them 
with  some  pseudonym,  or  their  real  nam;e.. 

Town  Talk  is  an  exception  among  later  miagazines  for 
this  paper  used  nothing  bu"C  the  letter  form..  It  appeared  in 
1715  as  a news-paper  in  a series  of  letters  although  it  con- 
tained som.e  essay-letters.  These  seemed  to  be  the  agitation  of 
economic  problems  such  as  the  conditions  of  fem:ale  employees  in 
factories.  It  is  an  important  paper  here  because  it  clung  to 
the  letter  for.r.  at  this  late  date.  The  Free  Holder  deserves 
m.ention  here,  too,  — a sheet  and  a half  folio  paper  first  pub- 
liaheu  January  31,  1727  and  issued  in  seventy- six  nunrcers. 

This  paper  was  of  a rolitic.:..!  nature. 

'•'om.e  of  the  essays — as  h^d  a number  of  the  letters 
( such  as  The  Parson  ana  His  Cl erk  and  Letter  f rom  a Lau.y  to 
Her  Husband  Abroad  ) were  printed  in  the  form  ci  poetry.  Verse 
Essays  app'earea  for  amusen.ent  and  for  literary  criticisms.  Dry- 
aen  and  T^ope  were  skillful  in  turning  verse  essays  such  as 
The  iatolar',^  t’saay  tc  Vr . Drycen  u;on  hi s Cleomen  es . ^ 

"Long  you  presided  over  a knowing  Age; 
r-y  the  toivn  courted,  courtea  by  the  stage 
’•'’hat  ere  you  wrote,  your  stamp  authentic  made, 

^it  then  was  aom.e thing  more  than  a miere  trade. 

But  the  corriipted  hum.or  of  the 

Has  broke  through  all  the  fences  of  our  stage. 

Yet  you  in  pit.  to  that  stage  appear 
And  give  a fresh  example  every  year. 

V.'ere  your  rules  follov.'ed,  we  no  more  should  see 

1 .-Clecm.ene  s was  a Spartan  Tragedy  written  by  Dryden. 


1692 . 


& ^ 


R ~*-  z ‘V.1 


^ T , y'  V • 

* 1 J '■  «.vd^»>.?  Siv ^S  t ^ * r »l 


‘aX 

<ji  tkt  ;;  <T^.M'>2rJLrea<(  ig 


IJ  V 

ijo.  eafliA  r*^-  /*-  riO-T;«u/5  r_»  -r  .iXc?~ 

ill  *9X  *ri^'.'Ukj  ^i.iviJ'on  iSvt^jaL 

4^Aj^a.'X*  ttia.*3aX  lilt  *:  ,tX  ts.:^<i<:j-»«»£i/ “*  «gu  3X^1 

a4v  draXS'*  • , > a4oe  i^vtiijt^ 


ni 


""KZ 

*'>^- 


3 ■ 

. ■ »■' 

r ■ ■ 


'2x'$r?ai  <^;TgX<t  i fcjco  zy  doii^  p :5C^'yi^  oinonoo# 

. ■■* . ^ . . I 

2^-i  ;i  f>'it  : i ^;l^  ^ Xit^'v'io^pnX  fi-p  ^i  :T  .atlioi's' It 

itoX^A!  q&T-'  sxlT  . cX»  aX  r ja  a :<?X  taX 
♦eti.':  viXc  * r_  - , c — »oi5^  »J 


..  ii'i/##^  Xn,^  ,!•:  \a M.-r^.tp  -if' 

i*  -i 

' ■ "X  * . iA*i  i-^i:}le\  .^io- pgtt  t**  ji-j 


>•, 


''  -''IV  ' '5*.  - tX)  Ti  J :ir 


1 , O’—  V*i-  ^14  ' ’ *% »-  ■ 1 ^ 

'v'i^if'?  . .1? 


•.  — ,9d  o.  of.ijaF 

i*'"  , .HA  . 4^ 

S', 


Vf 


*t*4A’  j!^a  lU  i\?tG7  / •* 


-xqH 


- -*10/.::^  4 i _ X4?^\hru6  * .I 


X - 


■:t*  ^ .*»  .sh  ov 


5/tH^Otlvl  X Vi*  Xciy  1 viSXy'^C't  5t^3J' 


; ejrx,ysi,--^  , : .-o-s  ?X.» 


i .'i  i.k  X ^T'j 

.i£M3Xl  •iao  4 fttfi.  tcirf3rj'»5>  i ,r  /X'rt 

• g!  t ' -,  ■ 

■m  > „•  .>  Xu '-i  Vi  ^i-rx‘Jwi>  »dif.*  ./u€f 

‘f.  -.G  To  *t»sr:in  Inimjrt: 

■ 1 ^ t ' V ., 

’!’■  t;  "*  ■ , J -‘ 

■ *L -'«••;  t'x*'**^  ^ Bif  i'-  l?jiA 

(I*  <rlU^  ViGriSgsOff  I r ^Dth^Z  L 'I  •t&L  X XjtJ*>^  B'l 


H 1 


-50- 

Dair.n'a  force  usurp  the  place  of  comeay 
Nor  thoughtless  words  with  a disputed  Tale 
Above  an  artful  plot  end  lofty  sense  prevail. 

Son;e  few,  (and  faith  they  a.re  but  few)  of  Wit 
At  some  dull-whining  play;  unmioved  ccula  sit, 

^ee  in  the  boxes,  tears  in  every  eye; 

They  saw  good  nature  and  they  wondered  why 
But  if  some  well  told  tragedy  appear. 

They  make  look  round  and  not  behold  one  tear 
Yet  Cleom.enes  high  applause  aid  find, 

«nd  your  great  m.erit  made  ’em  justly  kind."! 

The  verse-essays  were  taken  frcmi  the  verse  letters 
but  never  developed  to  any  extent  because  they  were  a literary 
faa  and  because  few  men  haa  tne  knacl  of  Drydr^naiid  Pope  in 
turning  cif  eleven  verse. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  paper  to  study  the  dev- 
elopment and  growth  of  the  eaaay  oeyonj.  the  opening  years  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  The  problem,  has  been  first,  to  show 
the  style  of  the  eighteenth  century  ana  secondly,  after  Hiak- 
ing  a study  of  the  earliest  English  essayists,  to  compare  their 
contributions  with  that  of  the  seventeenth  century  letter  to 
the  familiar  essay.  It  m.ay  be  well  to  again  sunur.ariie  stylis- 
tic qualities  of  the  familiar  essay.  It  is,  first  of  all,  a 
prose  composition  of  mioderate  length,  it  is  simple,  clear,  pos- 
sesses purity  of  diction^and  delicacy  of  style.  In  its  tone, 
the  essay  is  conversational,  never  pedantic  or  euphuistic,  but 
charndngly  Informal  and  irregular.  Finally  the  essay  is  gen- 


1. -Modern  Language  Puolication  XXXII,  35. 


i* 


-OC-  SJ 


.lXn‘/r*\  -.  4 .!>#,  •^■'IcX  HjiV  '«)%'%  .Cfc  ijr^fA 

; ^ ft  / "•  "■ 

>4i\^  ■ I'  4-^- 

4Ja«  L-Xii.v  --tt''  • i»r^*4ii'-^iX,-^  t?A- 

- . ,N  a 

;.yit  r;l  ‘ '^i  *i 


Yii? 


, 'j’ 


'^1 

*J 


^=1 


Sos^if'^j,  V I- 


?ao  '.-hi  i^ii’ ’ X^^tl  %' 


1* 


*u  ;!  > litl  j ;.  ■ IJ'  •. -;XO 

X“.  ’.*-■.  ■ ‘‘•M.i;  >■  - tiiA 


(! 


, f 


r ' f il'  ’1.^  itftX-i  • :m'6^  eJCf  ^ 


' ve>i? 


ni  2:40^  i*  *a-;. ~i . .i;  j**'2f^  4*1  >»>-  • -•c 


, r ■%' 


-yew  ^Oibt  ^ -*  • ^ :xy -T'. 

* 

1:  -♦*-  ' '*-1-'  't'.  jyfu 

rll  .\Ti.';no6  arrive- . 


^ox-fc  4 "1*1X1  lift  <f  - ^ 


' l*  L, 


-i  . { tbJl.  iMJft  "1*1— Ua3'3vG^id  Vtf  ^I^.'E  SilX 

. i 

TtbilJ  s>.i,t  ..•  i*CiV f • : ’.a  y^is*i  "^nX 

' ^ ■ 'v  ' • '.  * *" 

-ftifX?*"  .rrtfjl^;  r)  v?ai  i*J  -.x-^f^s  i.JtXi'v  - i^' 

'•*',•  _ \ -.-.  1 ?■ 

i:  ,iU:i:.  tfti  fSlU^Xo  i 

~«0-X  tf  >^6  4^  - :^l9  ri*  4 • ^ X *•  >'X’S.rO"T  lo  Gci  >- SO.^UJ*^ 

4,&4aJ  *^xi  r,i  . -Xpj  ic*  'c-pblibx  ..ny  .(‘••''tii^ir  v 
'jfesi  40X^*'.i  tX . ^oi/^lavnoo  «vi  tx**=  ^*4?^ 


-jT®^  x>*i 


: .a,3^Ix^ -1J . .•J1*  Yi^lfTs^-do 


the  e x^Dsr iences  of 


gral  in  its  appeal  with  subjects  as  varied  as 

life. 

4t  tne  opening  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  familiar 
essay  was  a for:.,  over  a century  old.  It  ha.d  attracted  writers 
upon  its  first  appearance  in  England.  B-con  used  the  essay 
rather  extensively  ana  fifty  years  later  he  was  foilowea  by 
Cowley.  However,  neither  of  chese  n.en  succeeaea  in  popularizing 
the  essay.  Reading  first  fron.  B-con  ana  then  from  Cowley,  a 
aistinction  in  style  is  felt  but  turning  frcm  Cowley  to  i\ddison, 
a rrarked  change  is  seen  — a develo^'nient  not  s^-ue  entirely  to 
the  sccij.1  progress  of  the  intervening  half  century.  The  eigh- 
teenth century  essay  is  inherently  aiiferent  from  the  essays 
preceainff,  in  facL  scire  critics  say  that  it  owes  practically  no- 
thing to  Bacon  end  very  little  co  Cowley.  From  Vvhence  came 
then  the  essay? 

“the  essay  aua-.enly  appear*  as  almost  a new  form  to 
doiLinate  the  century.  It  was  not  until  the  Tatler  was  pro- 
duced that  the  eignteerith  century  essay  started  on  its  course. 

If  the  Tatler  and  ectator  started  the  essay  again  on  its 
way,  to  what  literary  form  do  these  papers  owe  their  being? 

They  sprang  from  the  ola  news-letters  and  newspapers--! rom 
the  letters  of  Howell t.  Temple,  Defoe,  Dryaen,  Dorothy  Os- 
borne, Bwift  and  others  as  well  as  frorr  the  lliiViB . The 

Mercuries,  the  Gentlem.arJ  s J curnal,  the  Athenian  Gazette,  The 
Craftsman  ana  the  Review . The  essay  carrie  then  not  only  from* 
the  letter  itself  in  a direct  transition  but  also  through  the 
ne  3-lettera  first  proauct,  the  newsjapers.  In  conclusion  then, 
the  sources  of  the  inforrr.al  charm,  the  subjectivity,  the  person- 


V • *-|..** 


.i>U£  ' 

<9|4j)  ft-'  lit  5iU/*.j^  ^ 


,v»\* 

^ f ,«.  1 ' • ' 

•■;'5< 


«T0«1tW  ^.-  4 S9  .i-X  -:t\ve 


^ ' 


V ' -e  9/.J  It  #i34T  --*r  fiats' 


Cd  XJ.S/^cxXo  i ..0  ¥ a.i  . -^i 


^ 'V™  ‘A 

m x>iM>o‘>aotffc  ,7ii  lV  t^*i*ft  .''s*aaD 

;i! 


A ,XO£f^cO  -ic-^t  .v:.  .{^7-*5  ^'.YI 

.H'  -C  (:  XhC:^  l..ijgfftir  4^i  #r  ilt  a-! 

, ■*■,.  ' ' ' '■'*  ' , -7 

^ 3-»i»>4’  ..  .I  > a-^vX«*Y«>t>  i,  -r  ^ frj  <5^ 


* . r»r  'i1 

-Jil  ’«  ^d? 


,ra 


tX^*:  r^?  ;d  »iX4, 


f,.\:  «-i'x  •,.ti3‘;Vt  x:;a:^<!jr» '♦lii^TSv-?  - nas^ 
-s>  - t^3X2t>^i  i ^3,.®  v«J -.td/..*  t^a  4^uUl\0  s 3.  X U 


li^O  ^4WT©£iv‘< 


C^*'  fliPl  i«d--  J. 


• .c  k ’r.j  ;,'  -.iw  ;i,i5#C  O ' 

^ ^ ~ ^ y - 

»»c  ^£E?  rtsd^ 

>?  . '■•V 


V it*^  ?2tr 


,-oix  eMf"  I:om»  • r.i  *t 

^t  OQ  t’t  iL-^Xl^ih  V5»  -r^::/.  - ><i  4*f9g^*  Xi  r I>99l/t7  V 

,*•'  •>'  >'  •;•'  ■».f'  »Mt*s  • ! - .vt^joWv.u^T  stti-'j.r 


4 TTHa^.-»t:  5-5^  o^  \<4V 

c-  '» i '&♦**[ . i, . > iio^i i 

:i^:.  10'  .ii-ilff  ,>  -xer  I0 


#H‘: 


*5^' 


t^^.v  ' '^t3iy j1-. . / * .Tf- .1 ; fl ao  ».  •*  ^»e  i:  OJt>\»ji  '*^1 

gl 

0i3r*5  ^ a > iif  . r^tijv^h  ftS^*  ZiAil  lO  ’ . 


*?tW  4?di-i  ;w  7v  t.‘ :oa>igii  aX? 

r 'tx  a * . e ,-  :l  ^ o ,rp  1 f 7 ©.-.•.  I- 1 ? .1 

• J 

,■2,'t^J  ■.^l'J^.  _5»#  JO  I*«7v>;i:  aiT? 


»'  4 


al  toucf^  and  simplicity  of  the  essay  is  found  in  the  seven- 
teenth century  letter.  Just  the  simple  letter,  a form  to-day 
so  seldcm  thought  cf  as  a literary  form  of.  influence.  To  the 
letter  then  through  Steele  ana  i^aaiscn,  the  lovers  of  essays 
owe  the  delightful  Tssays  of  Elia,  Haalitt,  Stevenson,  Em^erson 
ana  ^'^^alter  Pater.  The  dominating  prose  form,  of  the  eighteenth 
century  has  continued  tc  hold  a unique  place  in  the  hearts  of 
reaaers.  'T’hese  readers  should  be  m.aae  to  realize  from,  v.hat 
earlier  form,  the  essay  emerged. 

The  essay  is  the  first  achievem:ent  of  the  Tatler"  and 
Spectator  but  their  secondary  accom.plishm.ent  lies  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  novel — rn  eccomrlishm.ent  that  will  be  discussed  in 
the  next  chapter. 


1 * - 


•-{k>rsc^iC  ill  ci  »rtJ  lo  &►;  lA 

- vl  M 


trtj  l»Tt  .l<s  Iv  ffr^odz  ofti 


W \l^  * • - 

-e*v:^.^- j xj  • vsvoX  VSiT  dl&e^*  ' 

r n;  ’ .»ju  ,Sv**n^>v2i2  ,2:iit  . . ^6lLl 
i^cira»rri^i3  5^  ^6jX.*5P‘ t£» 

» '”  ■ 1.  p ■ 


1^' 


cl'..  "‘' 


■ 


!to  a^i«’tjii  «il^ ‘ill  oo*:>X  X suTiin;  4i  -‘  ^uj^tJ^Aoo  _ 

a.  .-  rlj 

JAa-  Sv^rlE  eiiXjs^si  4?  »4-'-iiIjiPa£le  si  isieiSaiS'i  ’ 


-3p™  ui^  Tiol  asiX'XAA’ 

' iiOfe  ,^I;  ^'asftd 

.ir,.  ■*'  ^ ^;V  '^^*-  ,^  -£ 

c.i'^zjti  '(T^ **it^ri ^oaok*  '^AlAt^on  iiff  i'.;>Ti*f 


.irw.-ta»*xi^u:;  e'----r«TCa  9^3  xi  tiolS 

. 4Ui!p  sda 


1 1 


■■'  <1 


* 

-■  ~ ' A 

i :i 

' ' ‘ -i 


1.iJ 


Ikv 


*■  ' I flv  '-A  ■ . 

■ y*  •* 

r - I*  ...  •-  ■ • 

i *. 


^a--' 

. 

y, . _"%.„ 

#■ 

«V  ‘ ■ 

- 

L.'  ■■.' 

■ 

«0> 

I.s',  ... 

« t . 

r ^ i 

1 .....  * 

» - ■ 
k 

t A 

K 


r-.l  a 


-52- 


CHAPTFP  IV . 

The  Contribution  of  tne  Seventeenth  Century  Letter 
To  the  Jiovel. 

"One  of  the  best  known  and  least  intelligible  facts  of 

literary  history  is  the  lateness,  in  western  Europe  at  any  rate, 

1 

of  prose  fiction."  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  novel 
is  the  latest  literary  form  to  develop,  yet  in  spite  of  its 
tardiness,  it  has  advanced  rapidly  and  consistently.  Prose  fic- 
tion was  the  most  striking  and  important  literary  achievement  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  However  the  novel  did  not  rise  from 
some  m*agic  caldron;  prose  ficiicn  had  its  forerunners  in  the 
old  Romances.  Autobiographies.  Characters,  ana  in  such  perioai- 
cals  as  the  Tatler  ana,  Spectator.  The  novel  seemiS  to  have  ac- 
quired the  requisites  of  incident,  characterisation,  and  plot  by 
the  close  of  the  eig^iteenth  century  . 

ir  Leslie  Stephens  wrote,  "^"^ovels,  I take  it,  should 
be  transfigured  experience" . The  forerunners  of  the  novel  can 
scarcely  ce  clas  ified  as  such,  with  the  exception  perhaps  of  the 
Tatler  and  Spectator  which  were  so  rich  in  social  color  and  char- 
acterisation though  lacking  plot.  What  iniluences  then,  m.ade 
the  novel,  in  its  own  aegree,  a veracious  transcxipt  of  life? 

The  most  popular  Elisabethan  fiction  was  Lyly's  Euphue s 
with  its  romantic  extravagances  and  art  il  iciali  ties;  foppisii 
words  and  foppish  people,  ana  tiresome  m.oralising.  Lyly  created 
a highly  rcm.antic  school  with  whom,  language  was  of  primiary  imp,)or- 

1 . -Saint sbury , The  vn-.^lish  hovel,  London  1913,  1. 


70/  ^ ’T 15 i^K-'  ^ iJS^-.  » u^  >^0  Hv . r i.  .XX5ii  i ' ^ ’ 


r \ :<  » 


• ^ Jv'  •T  ‘ \ 


I0  •^  f ..  i^iJK  4'  '*>J*.  4r4ps^  1©'  tftO”.,^ 


©ivicrui' ai 

•'  *^'  • I ' 


/ X»y  I ’Ml?  . o^  «I  ‘J  '__?^. ”ir  t ia*^  seoiX 


^*i  “to  .:!  C:3i:  OT  I'ls?!  "*■  . LS^  fT  ifi^:  i- ♦I', 


-“Gii  «<•©!'"  ’vr.^noJ’Tltf.vj.i  .*jk  :«*5  ftc.t  jx 


( , 


*t©  ;i|jjfc<iv«» : .fnv*  ^rr  atf;?’  »©•  zfoXi;*- 


iv  - ■;  1 ■?  •)  i i ^ ,-jf  £.  t //  X ?-v  * r.  r,  •'t©'P?? 

•*:-.  .'^i  r-i<v;j4^3*  5*i  Ju^<\  ^ f(g^if  ■ ;>^V*L;r3  ol^iwr  »ia©e 


'r^o  a*Ji*st^aai© 

r:^ 


aw  ^ ^ 

••  j ^ 


'Jo©»  ii; 


•fc>v«‘ 


3£j.”*  ta>'  * c i V - ;uA  ^ ,»g^:id-a 


-O*  * ,:^-~\  X«Vv*l  ii'-T  /,  it  ■ .1 


>y.v 


I « ^ • r^''*  ''  ■ 

f vf  Jwl  ' Id  9iiz  J^iXup-  ' 

j '■■'  V’ 


e.^j-  t cX^o;' 


'rf,*  ' U * • aio  Ovil 

■■  I ^ 


t)i^ 


i a'i.  t I ,%t«'V  .>*f'* 


.;  r “ i ti  ; ‘ 


ri 


¥“4  inf?  X 


. 7tf  • 1 


Tj  *i,,Ai4xtr|  O'^l^MProid  aa.’  iil^-  ^.rtOi'e  eb  ’.XdD’^  O*'* 

'Jl*>  . Oi  :h\  L-i-  • 


-’Xorio  ^i-'  \y.i'Jt>  i3io-%f45-i  fi©fi 


iiii 


2 ?, ce.i4r4?  >xn<i  e.?l  .f.‘ 

. ' /ijji  ' 

’ : . J-' #£.'•  (t9iipi%  -r^yr  Sift 


U ilMUf. 

* r- , . ..  , 

!>|f;?d-»T©;  xltJ  “ 


i.aN^i8*9^  ;<*v^-7Jr©  !3i  . rjnt  e>i 

Pco*»  *.i;S  !lXy  4>j:';  a-i';b#"  ; 


■iX  XX^T.il;  1^...,  flPilt/  nri*£  ^Jl0  Xc-iH/-,  r ^ 5 *i 

•'  .•9x4<®»  • '■)  A.-  ri.r  n - ? -’.t 


t'lnce  ana  ir.atter  secondary:  "A  golden  sentence  worth  a world  of 
treasure",  as  one  cf  this  school  wrote.  Although  these  writers 
neither  created  strong,  inaividual  characters,  nor  maae  a ser- 
ious eilort  to  criticize  life,  they  proauced  an  interest  in  the 
writing  of  fiction  that  resulted  in  the  development  of  prose  fic- 
tion into  the  novel. 

The  vogue  of  the  late  sixteenth  and  early  seventeenth 
centuries  oi  special  intere-t  in  tn^a  discussion  was  the  pdcar- 
esaue  or  romance. a fcrm  originated  in  Spain  and  carried  into 
France  and  Fngla.na.  This  was  a stereotypea  form  dealing  with  the 
history  of  a villainous  rogue  or  adventurer  cf  low  social  station. 
The  influence  of  the  picaresque  romance  was  far  reaching  and 
aroused  imaginative,  creative  genius;  the  writer  of  such  romance 
deligntea  in  having  his  hero  out^adventure  any  other  hero.  In 
the  aeveiopraent  of  the  ; icaresoue  romiances  c me  suggestions  of 
fiction  sucn  as  Lyly's  Euphues . 

From  the  time  of  T^lizabetn  to  the  Restoration,  rom.anc- 
ing  anu  otor^  ’celling  lap  ecu.  niCii  Lii  . e ;ci  eniciit  of  the  oncoming 
civil  war.  The  one  rom:ance  of  this  period  claimed  for  England, 
was  John  Barclay's  ^ rgenis  (1621)^  °nd  it  was  written  in  La,tin 
thus  limiting  its  influence  upon  English  literature.  Of  tne  per- 
iod following  the  Civil  t'ar.  The  En^riisix  Rog:ue,  an  odd  and  poor- 
ly written  tale  by  Richard  Head,  was  the  most  important  work  in 
English  fiction.  Its  interest  is  due,  in  large  part,  to  the 

1. -Cross,  Develormient  of  the  Novel,  New  York  191i,  14. 


'ir.cJtm  e^.oJ  jljj*n>A|'X4  li-Sop  i:  o 

•'■^  -'*  ‘ • ".. 

^ri7  r:i  » -xWiTi  »i  01«|  ' iX  iMi'Ul*  ttJ/0 1 -i 

> ’T'  /’  ^ ^ „ ■*^flf. 

“9^  G»0!£^  Ic  t •?  -Ff  0:^ ?X--'"'^2!**  i'-Tf  n9l?3l^  ’Xd 


’ % 


^ ^ jr  !l 


*-1^  t. 


.4'^vriT  tt9ft^';^ 


_ „ ^ no  <f:?  r fi¥  t>  - *:  lx  ' izii  ri^^ti^3^:!‘  f 5 aI  'in'#  'i  o rft  * 

§.«■'  ' ■ ’'V  — ^'..  'A  ^■'‘^ 

/’ -tj^  r;!*’  -«A  rtl  v i09c*^  «c  ^olxSi^aoa^ 

■•■n  , ■"  * ^ ' . -~ 


. 3- 


]| 

.^^1  to  c>  t»-rna 


X/«»^?4K>  r/j.  *191 

.r.'  ^ * 

• - ^ 0X8 8 < ■'V  t£i(f?  .rJTx  X'^.'Sj  OOC^Xl  “- 


^ii3  il«  r^r.iX  • n«  r.  - I - *i 

.ac/X3fiTft  8NKt' J.’ ^u.y>.\tf  lCfv  s i;j 

TiF-a*.-.  '^**.'‘  * •'  -^-  , 


VI  Xrfi  V --''•^  ©Ort-‘i-!^?  ««jf8ax-.  q;  a*  5*  18  »oiT5|?4  “Xltl  a4T  . 
^orLuff'-'i  lioW  ‘4  - ori*^  iaoX'*^'^  orlf.  ox  ? ;8V^884s^si  58bU«ia< 

^(iZ  .$18^  i*^.XXO  ;x8.'i  ;Ti . 

' , *. .js -*8  0 tooii^aox  ij  ’jsisiOX'i  “ir*  'to-  / 

' • '.■  -N  .-  . ^'  , 

. r -'w'IyJ  «,.,  .fjv  Ztitj^ll 

, Ji  . ^ *"  ^ 


^-'t)S^€.As>x  ,.T\iii'-;f  *cv,^  9?  ii';8%i*i^.iX \ -Ic?  Ad?  4Sox<  ' _ 

54i  8/1?  Ift*  ii;  5 ...  .UjttI  * t^<«fcn’X 

»Zi  1^1  j;;8-rijelo  i^X'4^nr  • nv*£  >.'t  on  > . :^i  .-of-  llvXo 


liiU  .If  ,V!10?7  er«n  ?i  &a»- 


8W 


^•it:  » pA* 

If' 

. ♦!  :;*. 

•A*<  • V J.  • 

/'.  i.  . 

.-  ■ 6/* 

.'  t'. 

.:  'X 

»«  4 

v^. 

Aira 


. sono;  -1^1  y . 

-V V ’.  iv>''  ?iff 


^ 


.1 


/ '*  , 8^  io^Xotniitt  •£»;  ttOJ.  IJ8  i[i 

* *'  i 

*.»  j 'vaoifri  *t 

' '‘  ■ Vl_, 

' .^?y/  - t ;;j  ^ * r pyg  .>  ^8faOi0 - > ; 


-55- 


tre.ces  of  its  influence  upon  Defoe's  stories.  However,  the  niost 
popular  fiction  reading  of  the  time  in  England  was  tne  French 
romance  which  was  translatea  into  English  immeuiately  upon  its 
appearance  in  France. 

During  the  seventeentn  century,  there  had  also  flourished 
a deciaed  interest  in  Diaries.  -Journals.  Biographies  and  Charac- 
t ere . These  works  of  prose  were  written  in  a style  more  or  less 
informal,  simple  rather  than  artiiiciall>  comiplicated;  Lney  a- 
waken.a  a taste  for  realisrr. . The  beautiiully  gildea  sentences  of 
Lyly  anu  txie  nigi.ly  romiantic  a^ventuxe©  ana  villainies  of  the 
picaresque  romaxices,  haa  satiateu  tiiS  palate  of  the  English  read- 
r ana  this  resulteu.  in  a loud  clamour  for  something  aifferent, 
something  m.ore  reaxis  ,ic.  It  is  for  ^nis  reason  that  tiie  Char- 
acters ana  hold  m.ore  signii  icance  in  che  aevelopm;ent 

of  the  novel  than  the  Homionces  although  tne  form.er  hardly  e escape 
oeing  more  than  "m.ere  exercises  in  the  turnixig  oi  phrases". 

'n  intere-ting  exam.ple  of  the  characters  is  found  in 
Earle's  ''icroco3m:ogrsphy . out  even  this  grows  tiresomie  upon  too 
close  acquaintance.  These  aketenes  are  in  an  informial  conver- 
sational style,  snowiiig  in  tneir  tre  tm:exiC  oi  certain  type  cnar- 
actexs,  some  ingenuity  uiiu  Cv.m;prenen»xve  numan  interest.  As  an 
example  of  the  characteristics  oi  Farle's  work  tne  aescripticn  of 
A Pxatterer  vvill  em.phasize  tnese  stylistic  qualities  of  the  Mi- 
crocosmograpi.y  : 

"A  flatterer  is  the  picture  of  a irieuu.,  ana  as  pictures 
xlatter  many  tim:ee,  so  he  oft  shows  fairer  than  the  true  sub- 
stance; his  lock,  conversation,  com.p-ny  unu  all  Che  outwaraness 
of  frienashi^  more  pleasing  by  odas,  for  a true  friend  aare  take 
the  liberty  to  be  soretimies  offensive,  Wiie^eas  ne  xs  a great 
deal  m:ore  cowardly,  ana  will  not  let  the  least  held  go,  for  fear 
of  losing  you.  Your  mere  sour  look  aflriga.os  hxm;,  anu  makes  him 


iar#03r  sAp  i r'*7t4j  .T«|'T^.  9'P\ 


' iionvi'^’9  r?l'  sft?  lo  Tt.  if^tnz 

notjo  M ' <-#<1"  -t'*  <j#ci  \Sffi*  Id-:'!.?'  .»3*nir 


'“*iy 

l-ii..' - ■ rs>%^ 

v»  ■ 

-1  ^ 


^ ' 


‘ prT%^riL^-<»  *1^111 


Ji> 


fX  aittiu  tix-*  ' tT©l^ 


jL£lS  1 ^^^^  ■ f ai  . 

eV'*  ' rf  ^©^rfr*  ,f*Z9S  ® 


'.i  i®’.*  ;v»d'r?ir--T*«wi  1p^..,*<■*:  -0-'.<;al5  »jLj6  Tic©lai.^ 

iisu  ^ I -ed  ^42*  . f-iiXo^i'«ii  i 


’5a©-#ilSt;  . 

f]f*  .^■;:  ’to  » .:...*,jxjr»  - ■a'U.r.i’-*'-/!  .wp  \r.f»I 

-L...  11  .■-IXgJ*  * ,C. 'q  ^.,  0 --jjlC  ai  ' • ^iMiq.-, -; 

(I  * ;u*?t«‘i'iri.>  *^.t)  :.*.  ■•  t 3t  Xi?  - iJfi  ^ 

tiS  ' li.i'-'r  f^'  “ip'y  b<I  ,■’*  -bi  ^i^*:uj54  ^ ■»*■'' 

^ '’  ' ‘ -Ji 


4 *^'  f*  * O * ■* 


; jT  i . •; : I e V 


'le-. 


IttiO*  . V -^.J-  1'..  v'AS,^ 


■:  *•  ?iSf 

' . ■ >’< 

^ _,  rt^AJ  4-.  - ildA 


•'■;?-  iJ3/K  i i 4-.  I j,'' 

■>w • »ic  r* ' n - e».  i: ^ 


. »*  s«’ 
' 4 


*12“' i-  . V#-  .J*'  .Jr* 


«lt  4-X^n  *Xd 


■ 


■ ;yi« 

.Mi  ' 


;fU  ' 

H o ,!v  . 


.l^^V  i-  -Jw  4 ^ »f  ^^v5* 


S4»V 


^ I 

‘ !'.  '•  <.<-ao  ftflj  Ht-  ■’rjs|’ 


-r-tv  H.- 


S’  a 


r.u  .*  ilXwi ‘ ItHLL 


^'1  /.c'* 


I-.  1 AO  ■* . ■' .*0-i  ■ : »:  '•♦1A»''5U, 

^ 5f?t  ‘ *-  -.ii-  -VH-3  3A  ">’*  \*i  '-  -V 

If  fa;  l^  . u \»  taciji;«n  % *j  ,i'. -*«^  .oi 

•'  -vik  J*  ibr  t^;.  ■'.,  ^aif -s-tXp  4 * ’ '\^ 

.*  ’ .:.  f i 4 ..  * M.i'  iS'-r;  V ’-Hir  *d  .*X  Aift? 

3 , ^ , • -.  ■ -.4  tX:  ■ r ■ 


* I .4*  ?• 


., it i'  i •> A/.  *Hf ^psfn ' 1 w 3-t  ■ . '•  •:  -i  * 


-56- 


aoubt  his  ca&nici'ing.  ^nd  this  is  one  sure  mark  of  him,  tnat  he 
is  nev^x  fixot  angry,  but  reedy  thougn  u;  on  his  ci-vn  \vrong  oo  make 

satisfaction. All  his  affection  jump  even  with  yours;  he  is 

beforehana  with  your  theugn-js,  end  able  to  suggest  them  unto  you. 

A piece  of  wit  bursts  hj.m  with  ovoxfiov/ing  Is.ughter.  Ke  is 

one  who  nevar  cniaes  you  but  for  yur  virtues,  as,  your  are  coo 
gooa,  too  n.hfcet,  '.oo  religicus,  may  seem  ouc 

.he  earucecex  cciLx:.en_.a  ci  ,n.  " ^ 

ihese  rather  homely  but  ciev^r  ob  _ ervativ^ns  suggest  the 
eighteenth  century  realistic  charac oerizat ion-r the  common- 

place life  that  is  so  full  of  real  adventures.  The  traces  of 
Earle's  wora  is  seen  in  that  of  Isargaret,  Duchees  oi  Newcastle, 
especially  in  her  OCXI  Sociable  Letters. 

Margaret,  Duchess  of  TJewcastie  presents  an  irngsortant 
figure  in  the  ^iscuesion  of  the  concriuucion  of  the  seventeenth 
century  letter  to  the  novel  for  althcugu  her  work  aoes  not  pus- 
seos  a h-gw  iterar,.  v lue,  ic  uir  miake  a worthy  oiierihg  to  tx^e 
realistic  ana  iniorr;  1 style  of  the  eighteenti.  century  no.G%. 

The  Duchess  Scercs  to  i;  ve  hac.  a ver^  i..  .ere  c_  ^ personality 
WhiCi-  louhu  ex]  ression  in  her  .rici^.g.  In  1664,  appeared  uor. 
CCXI  bociable  Le  c oo.  - ; this  title  is  a m;isnomer  for  its  cohCciiCs 
were  rather  more  like  sketches  than  letcei-b.  Of  these  sue  suia, 
"I  have  endeavored  un^er  ...e  cover  of  ietuers  to  exp^ress  tue 
hum.ore  of  m;:;nkincl  and  t^e  actions  oi  a man's  life  o j txiS  corres- 
ponaence  of  two  ladies  liviixg  at  a short  distance."  herein  sne 
strikes  cne  keynu'.e  of  the  fir;^t  re- 1 bngli-.*  xx^vel,  Pamela. 
Although  Hargare  c oy  ilo  x.er  lecce^o  by  a too  thick  dressing  of 
moralizing  pourea  ovcj.  c..u  o..aracters  and  scenes,  a number  of 


1. -Earle's  Dicrocoemogra:.ny, 


Sketch  LXVI.  — London  i811,  P 176. 


:•»  T 


\’'  se&i'  y^.ii  T?‘ Its*  9nxi  nl  i-.*'  v i*  . r^ti  X -r^O  jpXii  ^o^/ol? 

^ e5«.3  ..-c  ^.:1  - 

, bl  el  aoJtv&'sn:  i i — • •-.rit-iT''  1'iIjji#'j 

v'*Ucx  ./  -9Ai?-‘  iiEt-  ,.v  ;:u  a 11?  7 i# i •.,. 

^"'2  Sd  . .* ,4tv ^ : irxir  »i«xiiw  ^ 

t 'ic  V'-S.  Ora7  > 


c:iJ,  i .M  »■  ’ 


I '-  - <- 


♦ ^ ^ ‘ U.>  \,  ->I^AJP4t  j :-  ,to«t4 


e',lX,^^^e>5Ufr'  vft.  X.’ : 1 yr>i 


X*i,t 


k . < 


> • 


%*  '-V 


7i£rOi-.f.x-l>  ^ .. V.- ’ -2a -•  d>trfr#v  ‘^i?>  ^(  '.  j 


^ )t  J 

• n £ r -jrt"  -ifif  - V*  • **i ; 

**  if  '7-“'  ■•..  . '■  '' 

’I?  . I IT.ltfv'  -Tl  tSfeMlf  0?  jttr 


lo  aot>i»x\t  0fif  ^ 


•"'r'«3  . •;4ji!tK^3  :XT.'  t.^i  .:i 

• ■'  '■  ■'  « i , 


' • - ‘ • ■j»  < - i . 'j£l5tX  r 

r.j  .!3^iT':rv-*4i  3>43  'ic  x>  > iti*-  rrx*:  :>:•  .r.t-.  ill 


-ir : 4 *a4!dt  .*??»*-  '\TC4^>T^t> 

* w"  > ■■  ■■  ■ ■ «: 


* . 

—>«  ’I  y.  ? '.1 

*-  . >" 


,_rt5 

-ji'f.tX  i>i/!«'<':'V  -C  -lit 


» te  • • v% 


.1 


I #J  i i ■.  .f  » »1  w -X  — % i O 


. .•„  <r’  .i»lt 

s.  .Hi  4>  c^v  v*^»4  _0: 


tisi  ^B*ui  I'X'* 


• X'<,  -»i 


ir'lQ'J  *'" 


; ,2  ixxi 


*»r; 


•»•  •“,«*  r\  , 


<81 

if  T* 

: ',a.»  o«i  4CTN.?  *-0  0iv 


- - i 


4 ^ iMjf.  lx 

,l  < •. 


> 


. .^  ir  *?  » • . •■■•«. 

•_  ..a  ' i;.  - Ojfi^ 


;g!  X0  n. 


.1 


■ Vi 

l,t.  - ,*  r i 


1*4'.  » .'X  ■■  "^^1'  UlS‘1  ('  X ■*  j ->;  I 


,f£^i  .vix.ifT  - .j->'^J  < .t£. 

»r'^  “ •*  '■  -"  ■ jBI 


^ L. 


<•’1 


•awiMHi 


9 


-57- 


writers  after  the  Restoration  carr.e  to  the  reali<ie.ticn  through 
the  work  of  the  Lhchess,  that  tne  letter  forr;.  itself  might  be 
•ased  to  depict  Lonv^on  iii&.  In  lo65,  Margaret  preccn'^^u.  a 
purely  lic.ionai  <vorK  t..c  ^laainr  ^^^'orld  lu  o in  hex  Au  Go^^ioa-rapny 
ana  in  the  ^iorray  y of  t i.e  liuke  oi  hewc  stle.  she  excells  tne 
narrative  qualities  of  tne  first  work  meiiuicnea.  Margaret  is 
realistic  in  her  exactness  in  rep reoci.tir.^  facts,  in  her  love 
for  aetail  ana  xn  ncr  character  aelineation;  in  these  qualities 
she  fore-shows  tne  literary  taste  of  the  next  century. 

Another  let  cer- series  «\hich  tncugh  net  English  in  ori- 
gin attracted  many  followers,  was  tue  Letters  of  a Portuguese  iMun, 
Marianne  Alcoicraao,  lirst  .u^li.nea  in  a Frenca  translation  by 
a Parisian  .-ookseller  in  16c9  end  tr-.nslatea  into  English  oy 
Robert  L'Fstran-e  lu  loitj.'*’  mere  are  live  of  tnese  leicero  that 
are  creaited  with  being  the  genuine  out[  curing  of  heart  of 
Mariahiic  /rcofarado  to  IJoex  he  :v*arquia  of  Cncimixx,  and  St. 

Legsr.  These  passionate  outbursts  snow  .tne  utter  abanaonmen t of 
Marianne  in  her  love;  the  letters  describe  tneir  meeting,  his 
love  rr..- king,  thc.x  n ppiness  toge  tx.er,  anv*  then  his  sudden,  ruth- 
less departure  leaving  her  in  the  agony  of  despair.  Here  is  a 
suggestion  cf  plot  in  the  sequence  of  the  events  as  recounted 
in  her  letters.  Marianne  implores  her  lover  to  return  to  her 
ana  finally  although  she  still  loves  him,  is  forcea  to  renounce 
him  as  faithless. 

This  violent  aban^onrrient  to  p.asaion  appeale^L  strongly 


i. -Morgan,  Charlotte,  Rise  of  the  Novel  of  Manners.  New  York. 

1911,  ^71. 


■ . : ^Oi-i  jPi 

at:  - -'U  ‘ i ■*??  * 

' 1 : ■ •< 


rfPSJ  ■ -T*. 


■vj  ' r ■>  * i 


i;  , 

. ...  * .1' 


•1^4^  Cr'^  ■ 


I 


T*  ,^- 

, i"' 


.v-...,s,. 


. • - 4y 

I-  • s •.  ^ - Ad  f iii*?©  ’ 

ovcii  ^ it  -*: 


>?  ■ I m;  lit 


. o'ti;4iiT5a 

^■'  ff'- 


I 

* ■■  . ' 

i.  I':.,  9--^.  - ..*  •-  !•■  i ^3l- 

' *'■^1^'*  JT'-^  ' **  -'  ' * 

. ■ 1 v.M'  t;t  •»♦•. 


-It;-  ..: 
.nL'Vt 


“ n*- **‘- 


. , I,  I to  ^ i ^ 


V ! t*. : ’Vjiit  - - 1 - - -i-dri  r 

;■  V • *•  -.f'  ‘i,!'  • ;‘'»«*  ■ 

• „•  -*w  Ju 

/l  ./'a  t^CcJ 


'■  v;. 


5flr"-. . ^ ea.  ; .■^■ 


ia  '. . 


n 50  :<■  c • : . 1 v-H-  • ' 

- * .•■  (4^-'-*'  ‘ ai  .4- 

* ^'  ' 

. : u. 

■'  - ',.  /.  j..> ' *ir  j, . 

■ 

' ? Z ‘ 

4.  I T ' iS.:  i V'«.* 

t ;. 

i^‘  /Cviu»-i 

' S T: 

iV  /_ « j: l'i:#Ti5  3t.> 

^ :r 


V-  3 ti 


.’X  ,j!*^ 


-•r.: 


'•'41^' 


1*^  y*. 

lJ  1 


)»  ••  i f>’x 

r-  ♦ -3  » ‘ 


. ' .‘tATiav,  ■^fT^*.a$i 

Af  i ^ nntJ’  i ’ .^t^ilqisi  &tir  31  ' 

■ / . /'  ' ^ J'.."'  . . . • Is- 

vi  4*  4a;  u*«hi  :•-»  r*^;“.'ii/Xt.  V—  •J**  .H^**^v 


* 


-'-iiksxnii 


L-., 


-58- 


to  the  seventeenth  century  readers.  They  cared  nothing  for  the 
cola,  ethereal  avowels  of  Dante  for  Featrice,  but  rather  pre- 
ferrea  a realistic  and  material  e cpxcsbxc..  uf  passion  with  a 
/Tiinuteness  of  detail  that  was  always  dear  to  the  heart  of  a real- 
ist. The  heroine  seems  to  f ina  luxuir^'’  in  her  smioticns;  she  is 
earnest  but  at  tim;es  sentimental.  In  her  earnestness^  to  quote 
Roger  L’Zstrange,  she  "expostulated  the  business  with  her  lover". 
This,  too,  pleased  the  reader  of  the  late  seventeenth  century. 

These  letters  are  irriportant  because  they  stand  out  as 
the  first  notable  example  of  emotional  aetail  in  realistic  writ- 
ing, they  are  narrative  in  quality  and  they  appeared  at  the  psy- 
chological moment  to  exert  the  greatest  influence;  at  a moment 
when  the  mdnds  of  the  reauers  were  striving  toward  the  why  ana 
how  in  every  force  in  life.  A tendency  toward  self-analysis 
was  prevalent;  individuals  liked  to  probe  the  inner  emiotions  for 
pleasure  sensatea  from  the  probing.  There  was, too,  an  egotis- 
tical enjoyment  in  recounting  one's  own  experiences  with  the 
m,  inutest  aetails  for  the  diaries  of  Fvelyn  and  Pepys  and  many  of 
the  letters  so-c  lied,  show  this  to  have  been  true. 

After  the  translation  of  The  Let ters  of  a Fortuc.^ese  Nun 
by  L'Fstrange,  five  different  editions  of  therr.  appearea  together 
with  imiaginary  rer  lies,  aduea  letters,  verses,  ana  imitations. 
Among  these  were  i'ary  .ianley ' s.  Letters  in  Imiitation  of  Those  by 
a Portugese  Nun;  Several  Let  ters  to  a Youn^j,  Gentleman  in  the 
Country^  and  Nun ' s Letters  to  a i'onk . Much  of  Aphra  Behn's  cor- 
respondence is  in  imitation  of  the  Letters  of  a Portugese  Nun  as 


-on  , -X  Jiic  ^-.i’iTar)  i»i  i-.  nX^3¥<ifji  *£iin<^A?t' 


► ^ M- 

f 


‘SfH* 

It'  ,>■'..  ti;i  -ijr“  i:!^'*** 


I 


»»•,.«  ' :-,  « ' ^ •>:  j '- 1 v/oTi‘*.l 

tmtv^  ~iiSv, 

^ , ■'  ■ .. 

t.  ^tU  ;«.n  vi.*  c?  tea  pa  . : ' t’.ilortd  ^ :t 

" • ^ '*i  , ' ‘ 

» .* -."caA^- - u“>, : -lo  a***  .-  ;at|t-H  xjn  ' j*  4 J'"® 


^ * 
^ k 


.'  : T<?‘ fi 


■.•„  au;  ^.1 


•t' 


, , “1 *u 


iei«o«? 


».*.  ^‘i?‘  .'i  .f”?  4»iKiT, ' 

lim.  % r.j  ,' » fv.^*  e..  13 r.  vAi*4l 


i - r* 


i 


>■;  ' it  :o..’'tt|..  4^;.  at>s  \.» .’ i -4I»  Xt  |^(  - ' ' ^ ..*»t»  M 

v^  ' V • T ^ , •.  ^ • 

. " * p'  % ' • " ' , ' jk 

•'t  : l ^\  -*.  J , '.l.'i  's,*wV  ' ■ t*.-  of^yX 


j« ■ t-'u * f*t  A'-J"  ''*' 

4 


. » 


y''-' 


' ".  iMfc^  .-V'  ■ .‘  T!X  oj  tov ->i‘ -il  ry,ii. 

• ■ ■ T*  ?j  ' . ..  ' 

<v  • *»  tuiraX  •<!?  •:/  .J. •!?*.:  . M# 

--  - t;»<^  A.  j 'rt  ©“lei*  _ 4-  t -..•<^  ^;5jr4>.oX< 

’ ■»!►'.  * * . 

■ ■.*■  r eaoJp  '.o  i\r**  ; 

-'  ' -St.,!' 

; r^tt«tf  ■ \i  »a**  ‘^orii^  ^i  ;.  1 j-c* 


n rr*oj^ 


'/»  • 
4 


'4  ■ 


3-  St.  j ,.  4«:54f‘' : ,v  iUfltS^X*4 

- * *-  ’ . > , 

,1ft  - f-5El 

>ja  g*.  >■' . tt-  « -i  ** 


• .U  V r-‘  ’'naSiTfe  t..ft;  '.'  4.'-  ^ 


a 


m 


tu:4.  oi  • ,.^gitiii»«.  •' 

r*  - ■ ’ * i‘*  -ti  -„i ;. 

I %M  I c<?  - 


-59-  . 


K 


i3  the  Lininjy  cl  a ^atcliTvork  Screen  ^ by  Jane  Barker.  Pope's 
F ~i. n i erlara  also  shows  the  influence  of  the  five  letters 

of  the  Portugese  rlun.  Congreve,  in  the  drama,  emphasizes  this 
same  sentimental,  emotional  abandonment i the  free  play  of  pas- 
sion . 

As  has  been  suggested,  the  Letters  of  a Portugese  Nun 
introauced  the  first  elements  of  skillful  characterization  to- 
gether with  "transfigured  experience  Original  letters  rise 
superior  over  imitations  because  they  are  more  emphatic  in  de- 
picting scenes  and  emotions  and  in  these  particular  letters  men- 
tioned above,  there  is  a greater  choice  of  words  in  evidence. 

The  literary  form  then  that  so  consistently  helped  in  shaping  ana 
directing  the  prose  fiction  of  the  late  seventeenth  century,  was 
the  letter  and  as  study  of  the  fiction  of  this  perioa  is  fur- 
thered, this  effect  will  be  more  strongly  emphasized.  In  oraer 
to  catch  something  of  their  appeal  it  may  be  well  then  to  quote 
briefly  from  the  Letters  of  ^ Portufrese  ^mn: 

"Do  you  think,  m.y  love,  how  much  thou  hast  been  wanting 
in  f oresight--Ah I unfortunate,  thou  wert  betrayed,  and  thou  aiast 
betray  ir.e  with  delusive  hopes.  A passion  on  which  thou  didst 
rest  so  many  prospects  of  pleasure  now  only  causes  thee  a deaaly 
despair,  which  is  like  nothing  else  but  the  cruelty  of  the  ab- 
sence that  occasions  it.  Mine  eyes,  alas!  have  lost  the  . - 

only  light  that  gave  them,  life;  tears  alone  are  left  them,  and 
ceaseless  weeping  is  the  sole  em.ploymient  I have  given  them  since 
I learned  that  you  were  bent  upon  a separation  so  unbearable  to 

me  that  it  must  soon  bring  about  my  death.  I send  you  my 

sighs  a thousand  times  each  day;  they  seek  you  everywhere  ana  as 
sole  recomipense  of  so  much  disquietude,  they  bring  me  back  a 


1 . -The  Lin  In;?:  of  a Patchwork  Screen  offers  a very  interesting  se- 
quel to  the  telle  given  in  the  letters.  Marianne  leaves  the 
convent,  goes  to  her  lover  and  because  not  properly  married, 
they  suffer  poverty  and  exile. 


■J  '*  ' 


'-Txfi J 1<^'  •A$.'‘.»isl  i*"!  %■  3 ^fr<y.\^  i>»  ' ^ ^ 

^ 


ft-'  . ta  . Xfix:.  : .-^  n<? 


-« 


• « > a?'j  ' j 


- ■?. 


JsA 


; ».  > j.- ., 


.o4j^ 

< ^ 


in  3T^:l  ^"1?  «iflnuc>€'ca<u 


} 


„ i<,  ..t ‘I  ‘ i ^ ^ 


ntl.  -t/w.f  .'L  — i-.^Ji-i^:  '.  ^.*4 a ' 36di%, 

1.1  •■ . ‘:i ti  t'aifv  ij  r -itfa.- 

■ t SLT*  C f t.-  ixj'.  -^2•'■  ■ .'^«U--.'-’i?  t’  i'  *‘  “ J ‘ 

■ 'f’  V * / ■■  ' ' * 

. ovo^j--'! V'f#  4b4  4ffS-  ‘i  .** I' 

■ ’ »v.'  ' ‘f*  ; . ■ .'>?  u • ^ ^ 

fxrttvftm'-*  /.«'.  .'  90!^ 

:•  Lf.  -.i  -M-ti  ■•■  . *tJJ  I • 


-Xvl 

S--ir.  ' 

v«'u 

^ ’?'  ... 

tuA'.v  .:; 

• i.  - 5 l«  i 

.r'.^'T-, 

7l;  (* 

•%" 

S’*.  U:.  iU  : 

i?  e .w  . . ■ 

r j 

3 L ' 

lHiC  Ai  ' Si^i^%SL  1-  i-r  - 

u 


I'clj.-^-  iU  -.  Xi^v.ij  ^f9w  ’ w^f  »-•  W . - 

.4".  *X»fr  '-‘-•.1:  *'  »-•  ’ i ' * — .'=4l^j.3t  loi  aa 

iriw  Lv-‘  :1'4,:  A'|<<  . • .-li^ 

\tl-  0..  i t>6iv,'  fl^'w  ' ■-  'MrtJfl'.'Ja.-,  5t  B 1 7^V 

'*  - ^ . ■’*  4 

■ .r:  ' A i-  i?i  i v-^  le 'i  lit  ■vii .Ji  a a.’ i #. 's  ii  47 

•..  . .'  W !fi:7C.-.  S-  • ; «’ ^ii  * V^fv 

Wr,’:^  -H:i*  :7^■•'!;^  •*-''. cJ^Yi-r  -'■Ccii  t-A?  *■:  "J 


’ . : • '.  v!S.  ott  t^t: 

’4  T 

, 'v  - •'  ■ » • 

- iUj-sC  - n .faij." 


. 3. 


A'  ;a»  tr.s:  X.iVl^l  0^  X 

:.’:  -••'•jI'  -^nixc  n«Y#  7fciTI  ^'^4  _M| 

rto-?e  lAi  ■ Bi 

- ,%t'f  «*0».  It«  *l4  : t A . ’"OO^  1 * *- 


-Bi  ii;. : i.  V ^ '2^^''.  f . - - ^ ^JJ2l  - 

Bl.n  ; i- :T- ■■  . ‘ j ■■  " - --si  ' A ' r *i?**i 

. . : ^77f»70  YSr^il^e 


-60- 


warning  toe  true,  alas!  of  ray  unharpdnesa . -You  will  perhaps 

fina  raore  beauty  elsewhere (yet  you  told  me  once  that  I was  very 
beautiful)  but  you  will  never  find  so  much  love;  and  all  the 

rest  is  nothing. Above  all  come  and  see  me.  — Good-bye-- 

I C'^nnot  make  up  my  mind  to  part  from:  this  letter.  It  will  fall 
into  your  hands;  would  I might  the  same  happiness!  Alas!  how 
foolish  I am.  I know  sc  well  that  this  is  impossible. Good- 
bye, love  ms  always  and  m:ake  m*s  suffer  mcre.”^ 

Although  em.oticnalism*  like  the  above  became  a conventi -n 
for  a time,  a reaction  soon  set  in.  Aphra  Johnson  Behn  was  in- 
strum.ental  in  bringing  about  a aistaste  for  the  rather  sordid 
type  of  em-otionalism:.  Bhe  holds  an  important  place  in  tne  dev- 
elcpmient  of  the  Kovel  of  Manners^.  Aphra  Behn,  born  about  1640, 
made  a trip  to  the  Indies  when  ten  years  of  age  accompanying  her 
father  who  was  to  take  up  a government  position  there.  However, 
her  father  diea  on  the  voyage  and  Aphra  returned  to  England^. 

She  wa  ■ m;arried  while  young  and  was  soon  left  a widow.  In  oraer 
to  support  herself  she  wrote  very  actively  between  1671-1691. 
These  incidents  became  imipcrtant  in  her  literary  career.  Aphra 
Behn  m:a^e  frequent  use  of  the  popular  letter  form;  as  well  as  the 
letter  style.  She  wrote  two  sets  of  letters  concerning  her  aa- 
ventures  in  Holland. while  she  was  unofficially  connected  with 
the  diplcm.atic  service  there.  One  of  these  sets  of  letters  is 
a burlesque  corresp'.naence  between  an  aundrer  and  Aphra  Behn. 

The  other  cerres  ondence  contains  a vivid  account  of  her  exp-er- 
iences  and  observations  in  Hollanu.  The  first  of  these  takes  the 


1 .-Letters  of  a Portugese  Pun . Translated  by  Edgar  Prestage.  1900 

Letter  I. 

3. -Morgan,  Charlotte,  Rise  of  the  ^rovel  of  Manners . Columbia 

University  Press,  1911 

3. -Bee  Ernest  Bernbaum’s  Mrs . Behn' s Biography  a Fiction.  Moaern 
Language  Association  Publication  XXVIII. 


< • r t.  ► .-  k-  1 ^ 4 


3MW  . •:  i;rTX.  ■<  - ',  oit  I : 

-t>cw-.  -’—  • f T»  kNi^'  ■ .■?w-2.A-»-— *- “ .ji/lXl.iJCw  ♦ f 


lAt  iXi.9-  .-X -^1  •■-  ■:-'’  _ ^ T * ■ V •>“  7 

■«.,.!  r-taC*  -.vdL^-  ^ I ^ '.^vT??; 

.oXai  '.■'#«•+  1 .JiF  I^.-aiXe5X 

'-i  •i'’J^XA  *« 

rS  . -V- 

■ijiiiO'*  . *%CX  I 


-jff!  t *.*1  ;irt^»^!  fiCiitf-Ot,  JSiL*i‘’-V' 

.>A:«i^i-  i>l  Sv't^'i*u 


f 


iii-  S£f.  T*i 


4-i,-  Cf-i‘  . - i xfXJ^i  X>’Xi?T0?  'kO 

rT.^' -,i?Ti'';ri,  ■ , fX/**  . eg(V  .*  . #<'t  •'^ 


fr-'  .' 


.'S*n-  fit  .''i»i£i.  ' r.'H'i^  Ijiijc;  4 4f if ■ ■'?’•'  '3(' ^ ■■♦uw 


iV  . 


i'l 


tL.  j'ltX  ^;)P4ff’0^  '-  ’’  ’>»  '•  * 

» j • . J 


i • ' n 

. .tX-4?vX  i%oV$*s.'i  \tuT  ^ -J-XW. 


d/Vs 


^.L,t  ^,1A'1*J-X  is-'  i;4  c?  j ■ *^  Jri-JW  "‘ 

• •:  tT  * ■ * '^\.'  _.  , 

I * ,.  •"*  ” 


f ! . i. : S iX.  > 


ra  'e<»r*^s:  : :»  ti 


■ V 


. r..  , • ■ i .;,|.i  X :.#  - yxiwati ' 4||^,.  ?! " <’  ■’  ; v ^ f 

W*.  ^-  • ■**  ^ ^ ^ 


' **s' 

ftJwT  fcSl^lC  'ic  I ^M'  :-*  rVp^r.kt; 


a 


-*  'T-'  't>t^"' ' H 


'^‘rr  . ir ; ?*i  r3  ^ ^1  : . ' .. *» » Xv 


. X ' . ' I 

• 1 :’tT%iWO'‘  . ~ IS*  "’.  '*  r. 

'< , ^ *x  I i ^ VT'/"i  r ; (1^ 

- ' , ■ -.  * T •*  I ,f---^iL  hj 

" ^..i  i»r...»  > ««>»  - i^i» 


Ax  »LLk  "’j 


* 


'ii' 


■rn^tXyV 


4 t &**  t/  ^ 


rki 


-61- 


forc.  of  an  interesting  romance,  the  secona  might  be  compared  to 
a travellogue,  suggestive  in  content  of  modern  bocks  of  travel 
but  given  in  imaginary  corresponaence . A third  series  of  letters, 
The  Love-letters  to  a C-entleman,  differ  in  tons  a.nd  style  show- 
ing the  traces  of  the  r.etters  of  a Portufi-ese  ^Tun.  The  best 
kno’.vn  work  of  Aphra  Pehn  is  founa  in  her  romance  Oroonolo  , pub- 
lished in  1366,  which  deals  with  a ncble  slave.  The  situations 
aescribed  in  this  book  were  supposed  to  have  come  from,  her  alleg- 
ea  experiences  in  jr-dia.  Even  though  this  novel  is  not  in  letter 
forr:,  it  is  'written  in  the  same  easy,  gossipy,  nonconsequent ial 
m.anner  that,  for  the  most  part,  characterizes  her  letters.  In- 
cidents of  the  story  are  given  in  sketches  suggesting  letters 
ana  as  is  frequently  characteristic  cf  the  leter  series,  there 
is  lacking  tiny  m.arked  structural  unity.  This  novel  then,  lacks 
plot,  it  is  merely  the  recounting  of  related  incidents  by  an 
alleged  eye-witness.  Those  who  are  acquaintea  with  Aphra  Behn's 
^ ersonal  corresponaence  can  not  overlook  the  aecided  simiilarity 
between  it  and  this  letter- novel,  Orponoko . The  same  vividness, 
vitality,  sprightliness,  wit^and  eye  for  aetail,  are  in  evi- 
dence in  both. 

/nothsr  writer  of  marked  ability,  a late  contemporary 
of  Aphra  Eehn,  was  Elizabeth  Singer  Powe,  born  at  Ilchester, 
Sonierset shire,  Septem.ber  11,  1671,  of  a fam.ily  of  some  literary 
taste.  At  an  early  age  she  began  vvriting  verses  ana  paraphras- 
ing table  stories.  One  contemporary  critic  cf  Elizabeth  Fowe 
wrote  that  "she  haa  few  equals  in  her  excellent  turn  for  con- 
versation”. This  m.arked  aoility  in  conversation  was  carried 


•5' 


••'id'* 


‘5 


5i 


V . '-j"  ^ 

-^■s  j ,1  f .'  : 5 j?  *4  1 


X 

» < 


ili  ^ 


’.  iJ:i 


liT-i  ii  t-il-  L.-  ‘ T {%i^  J .J  >* 




j S-i*'  ♦ »'  -'*-  „■ i - ''-T  -*:*  ^ *'  '''^’'-■■*'I^''t>A} 


iiJ^.  : :■-  ;■  Ht4’..'4 


-V 


jf#f»  i: 


X:  :|f 


' - • ^ 


»*t  r '^’.^ 


*^£i:  i Xik  - » 

'■  ^.  g 


'.‘v4  ■•!^i  .>'*■’  -iT^-*''  • j 

* T ’ '7 

I ■ ,\\U' ' 4.»y.  ir..<  ..-au!./^  : . i 

?v'v*  ’i^r,  .,x- 'c'i  1 X Jv  li-t  5>|f?  *^  ' ^*'41  u^-rw^j  v 

^i»i 


■r;  A-V*5.  ;.  - ■•  - 4rj-*»  =^' 


. a; £61. it* 


biJji  ^ , 

•'i 


• eis>.l3^\#.»Z*5«  4ft  ftKt  1 : 5i/r»»-:iS  ?? 

ftjL;  C Icviif  »4;  “ i ,X  €4 

k* 


" ' r*  ',■'*•• 

I-^J  to  >-ATSJt>It.;l  d^J, -X>?  >.  n;..tatfsfif(3l^  ^■'dJ  .|  ’ 

. _ ‘‘"  I . 

. - .,  • f ^ftfcsX-Lii 


t-’iJ  ^-:4jjA  iUlff  -.^.':Tij6,-t'.’'a^. 


•.  - ^ j 

U.Ht*p  u9£>^izs^'  X<voii>"v^  j'i’h.js  ft:*  /£45^f'#*iir*; 


--»r5,_t  iJiV  . ;>y.v  }OH’  ’.  ^ r-.i^fp 

’ ^ A •"  ■•  ' i* 

-I^a  A!  ^ 3C  • i,’i 


iv 

. ill  oOJ'ftb' 


’.V,  ^3-^il  ■ «*  J \ I'.'  ■>  “^.'■S  ..a 


'i- - Acll  - ii'i-*-;  L^.ftis^  t *siici ' llTi! 


-V:  3.»r'--,.  •;;lhc-i’i  4 It-  <r’'cX  . ._ 

ii  ...  -s>-.^J,#  ^ ^ . *^  X 

. f'jii,  ft  .*iX.. 


» ‘‘  ""  .i  .-■■-■>) 


i *#tl:  Jl|tc^.  4 »i  4-^ 


a.  f 1^  ” ; i ♦jJA  ; 


. v.l1 


-62- 

over  into  her  corresponaence . Her  letters  that  have  been  pre- 
served, shov/  strength  of  character,  poise,  ana  firmness  of 
mind,  ^hen  she  took  up  the  <vriting  of  fiction,  she  employed  the 
letter  as  a vehicle  for  her  narratives.  Her  Letters  on  Death 
appearing  in  17CS  are  often  sentimental  and  tiresome  ana  yet 
they  are  full  of  the  gift  of  story-* telling.  These  letters  were 
collected  and  published  as  a novel.  Another  series.  The  Letters 
floral  ana  Entertaining:,  presumably  written  to  intimate  friends 
contain  som.e  very  interesting  stories  told  usually  by  the  her- 
oine of  the  letters.  Her  work  shows  no  real  character  delinea- 
tions, no  deep  subjective  emotion,  nor  do  her  scenes  and  epi- 
sodes show  originality.  Yet  in  spite  of  all  this,  Elizabeth 
Rows  made  a distinct  step  towards  the  novel  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. 

Mrs.  Rowe  was  perhaps  the  moat  popular  writer  of  fiction 
of  the  early  eighteenth  century.  She  is  of  especial  interest  in 
this  discussion  since  the  great  bulk  of  her  work  was  aone  in  the 
letter  form..  She  succeeded  in  popularizing  the  strictly  nar- 
rative letter.  She  encouraged  a conversational  style  ana  although 
her  subject  m.atter  was  often  not  "transfigured  experience",  she 
maas  it  easy  for  those  following  her  to  write  of  the  common- 
places of  life.  Phe  also  showed  her  ability  to  hola  her  audi- 
ence— to  n.aintain  the  interest  of  the  reader  to  the  ena — an  im- 
portant requisite  of  the  novel.  Perhaps  too,  it  may  be  said  that 
Richardson  owes  miore  for  his  pam.ela  to  Elizabeth  Rowe  than  to 
any  other  one  writer,  because  of  her  style,  her  develoj ment  of 
character,  plot,  ana  her  influence  on  later  novelists.  She  ae- 


* ' * • '•'•  ^ . . ■ i 

_ ■'  ' - * - 

Tfe  i.:-j  tV^;?;:,  *i  * ■*ira©< 

' V . '■;  ' ' *3 

9»1J  t-  r~'‘£..“i«’^--'Aft  -liti'!  1 ‘jiaJ5  JT ' icis  ’.tioa 

~ >»■>  t -!'  ' •»» ^»f! 'O^A.'t^yV  r-  >«j 

S'i 

J'.\  -r  ^ :r.:ae)4i-r  l^Ut^  .'T'fjV  >i;: 

1&  fXf’i  »X-.  \9al,? 


fin 


Ijr  .pxe-;  • -.T  Mg‘:  ,f ’1- *fyort’  . :>  '■.  . .*^J~'  (l  ^ *^r?o*XXc'» 

""  . ' » ' '^- 

cw'  hisitt vr^jt^-san^^x-j  .ji-!  /.  igy*' 

♦ f 

L»^'  ./,  ”■  ’ . , . ■ ..  ■ ■ 

, ,9T*-:5sI  9fxXi> 


. •’  i -"l,-  i^'A  ,*  ft 


id" 


J.4^f:i;  i ib  •■  fet'iJ© 


- Oj  0 :\!k  4*tJ  a * f-i,  l“-  u '-  ■♦ . ft 


‘oil 


-5 -I/  fl.'  -jt-  »va#i 

■'  ‘ « . * /■•  '■  “*  '^il 

.'  ^.  f..  jL*:' 


*■  ..:>  •'?■,'*,  1 ' llfl 

li  -iuva'i-';  I'  X -4J 

'oTa/  ,v^)4iif  i*.*  a 1«?> 

' *3 

■im 


,i ' *.. 


©ill  .;  ».u&  ’♦vli  •'  3f,l 

-a  «c<3  TfZiOAir » tftc  ^ i^jj£pk|6s^  ir^  . ‘ 

- ' . - XI-kT  -v,;:*a -*  '•  ^ 

e :-  C.». 

b4  * lo  a^itw  vA  t«|i  f'.’''.  'tcl  V«<fcd  ^ 

'i  J'Ai  \ d\ji*d  gj  ijca  v?bXo  aiTC  ' .'. tK  l’<s  390i'*XCT 

‘ V '.  t. 

-Jli  .V6— .*^..'  ^ lo  -.  r-<  ^■f^.r|I^l*  . ;- — aafidjj 

y ,r 

, t<fl  j»5*»  4 . £ - art:* 

WJ*,-  . 11$.  civ  ^..  7 'rrX  -r*;Ntaa4; 4-^ 


-r  i * Vv, 


'.  ■•r? 


!i«  n#j|* 


► 


,Xr:i:>  r.ir  t*£i;' 


. a ii£r  - * •*£ 

i -' 


i-'r.  ^4^ii  ,*j«4ais^^.*iO 

i 


-G3- 


serves,  then,  an  important  place  in  the  consideration  of  the 
contribution  of  the  letter  to  the  novel. 

Contemporary  with  the  work  of  Elizabeth  Rowe  was  that 
of  L-ary  (de  la  Riviere)  Manley.  Mary  Manley  did  not  make  as 
great  a contribution  to  the  novel  as  aid  Elizabeth  Rowe,  yet 
she  must  not  be  overlooked.  Although  her  specialty  seems  to 
have  been  the  fabrication  of  monstrous  political  intrigues,  her 
first  work,  published  in  1696,  was  her  lett er-ccliect ion  ana  her 
greatest  popularity  cam*e  from  these  entert -joining  Letters  to  a 
Friend  on  a Stage  Coach  Journey  to  Exeter.  The  Journey  is  used 
as  a fram;e  for  her  t-les  of  characters  and  adventures.  She 
shows  sprightly  informal  style  which  though  slightly  artificial, 
excels  that  of  her  political  intrigues  or  her  love  letters. 

Beau  Wilson'  3 Am.ours,  or  Letters  of  Love,  make  fairly  entertain- 
ing reading  although  they  are  inferior  in  stylistic  qualities. 

It  must  be  understood  that  all  of  this  work  was  very  superficial 
and  trifling  ana  is  only  important  because  it  led  to  later  dev- 
elopm.ents  of  real  literary  value.  Since  her  letters  were  miore 
popular  than  any  of  her  other  work,  it  seems  that  Mary  Manley 
like  Elizabeth  Rowe  m:ade  her  greatest  contribution  to  tne  novel 
through  the  channels  of  the  seventeenth  century  letter.  In 
sprightliness  and  vivacity  her  letters  even  surpass  Ramie  la  — 
the  first  real  English  novel. 

Before  aiscussing  the  contribution  of  the  Tatler  ana 
Spectator  it  will  be  well  to  see  what  Jane  Barker  and  Penelope 
Aubin  did  for  the  novel  through  the  use  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury letter.  Practically  nothing  is  known  of  Jane  Barker's  life. 
Her  namie  first  appeared  in  1680  in  connection  with  a collection 


- .c!  1 ».♦??£  4yT : ^ 1 t ;f i2< o 
"t-  »-;>»  A{1.  vx/iio<?*?-7ur  ^ 


^S.i‘ 


?;-i  . - 


-'•■it  eA  .‘vv*--.'  3^  OC  .i : 4 

’ “ ,•  ■ ‘ .,-  V'*'  ‘ ■'  /"I  ' '■  ' f- 

^'  ■ ' ■ ^:  ‘ * " ■ ■ ' L ' ^ V ‘ ^ 


■ym  •*  r- 


1 


(KaJ . t ^»'  *6&oI /!ti  4i^dtX4x^ 

* fr  * ^ 


2*«-i  » s.‘.  Jis.Ms  <*7?.v w >ii' 


l'»’iU'  tf!  v^mi’'- 


, .y 


V . ' Z’^J^  Jlv  . ^ felt);?'.  . 14  '-;0  It? 

^ ^ ■ • '‘'^  '*f  ' » ™ 

.t»ir  ^s>l  j.?^  I < .^..^  ■ *•  : ^ / 4? 


e f ..-^  1 w i * t C ^^'3U#  • '■  J^.  _^-6  3 c r>  *J '.• ' . ?»JJ2Xlli£^ 


* ftt. : .’ jL'i,' 4.5  t>i  ■ ji.*  -(ti- S«X- 


,-'5ft»-.  ;.X  £.4 


V?'. 


bX-i  lo  ti?  '*- 

..  i i.'4>  * J 

• ■ '1  ■'/ 

Ji»  ‘it; 

•- « 

• ■ i ■< 

.> 

.'  '*  • ' * 4 

1 ^|T  -c 

t 'l.f 

0» 

IV£  1^1  till  ^^SjSf 

‘W  •' 


nl  ‘*as  ‘tv  trCijmxtdo  »ti* 


-- 


OXWK 


.i'^rn  X '411  . 

0^‘  .jcl#  ic^'-  ii“-  . . tW  Xi  *i 


i'f-- 


-X.*  -IjCJ  V»i;  X^'?A  X<Fl  r.l'JuA 


i ’ ”;  «>  i 1-  n*  3 lU  U .T  i 


-r,i  > ^ ■ .'  ^r>  f ^r.  o I .'  :*-'  . X :i-  /4i  vxx;- 

iVtjc  * .<1  crx 


-64- 


of  original  songs,  pceir.s,  ana.  oaes.  Her  first  novel,  appearing 
in  1715,  contained  the  wildest  ror-ance  coirbinea  with  the  most 
matter  of  fact  commonplaces.  She  sounded  the  passing  note  of 
the  romance.  Some  ten  years  later  she  wrote  two  letter-series, 

A Patchwork-Screen  for  the  Ladies,  Or  Love  and  Virtue  Recom- 
mended an^  The  Lining;  of  the  Patchwork-Screen.  --  in_ these  she 
acanaoned  romance  for  realistic  and  instructive  novels.  The  last 
named  book  offers  a very  interesting  sequel  to  the  Letters  of 
a Portugese  Hun.  In  it,  Jane  Parker  shows  her  most  realistic 
tendencies.  The  introduction  to  A Patchwork- Screen  for  Ladies 
shows  greatest  narrative  interest  of  this  work.  It  tells  of 
the  adventures  of  a young  lady  upon  a stage  coach  journey  with 
clever,  realistic  details,  suggesting  the  Love  Letters  of  Beau 
Wil  son . The  introduction  furnishes  a na  rative  frame  for  the 
letters  of  advice  that  follow;  letters  on  mr  rals,  etiquette,  and 
philosophy . 

"^hese  seventeenth  century  letters  of  com.bined  realismt 
and  rom.ance  are  aleo  connected  with  the  name  of  Penelope  Aubin. 
Her  most  im.portant  work  is  The  Lover  * s Secretary,  or.  The  Ad- 
ventures of  Luid.t»  ira.  ^ Lady  of  Taali ty . written  by  herself  to 
her  frienu  in  the  country  in  XXJIV  Letters.  Penelope  y^ubin  was 
a friend  of  Flizabeth  Rowe's  ana  dedicated  to  her,  The  Life  of 
Charlotte  Du  Pont . It  was  her  purpose  to  promote  virtue,  using 
the  letter  to  enforce  such  iaeals  upcn  the  readers  of  the  aay. 

In  1739,  a critic  wrote  of  "rs.  Aubin  that  she  "followed  the  best 
principles  of  novel  writing.  Sne  disdained  to  paint  the  guilty 
scenes  of  folly  anu  vanity  in  such  colora  as  might  conceal  their 


.1 

\fe'.voa  f'kj'tiT  »a'WC*: 

_3U't  dJiir  ftamm  -■'i  *XX 


‘IC*  'fldf*  ii4i-»-  '-.i  ♦'»  W Jli^  . *et(  r :3a*-,*r0 

^ ■:i-.  «x23lLwI-'lSli  ZLl 

^ ■&6B  .i.  .:i  --  il--.  li.  :-ALn^  V*  ^ 

r , ro3i  .i-  -:  ovj  . 7^1.1  ijiji  :^c»^  iiJ$f*  'I ’.1^  * 

I • • ... 

•»:>  V t^6?  iDC'pe;.  ••  t#^a 

:'^-l  a.‘‘i  A •J’i'.vt  .«rt  • ^io4e^'il 

. '"3  /4  ^ * 

' - ■•  rl  . •£!.  VT  i.s  »xlr  TX.^  **'* 

“ 3 

*.  *i  »f  r ■ 1*'  \/  xf  M^vv\  I t^ 

kX-j x*r  - i ? 3'*  „tf;A i Cix^w;»,i Xjt? r ^*r**»f^ 

"■^'  , ~ ^'''  '—  ','  9.  *1  k 


».-,r  5^."i'l  - '’r."  X.U  * ii 


• «■* 


fri?  .ff#  -1ft 
V !♦>  C 


. V d 3 Jt 

flk  .^4^x  Lf  .Vldv-  O -<•  r7«:^7ftkX  5?‘‘54.‘  "TM-C-  ,, 

.'■,  a'.»uJLi«j'l’' " *'*-  i*fr  f^rcx.- -tTi- cae 

. , *^  - > . ' ' 

■^'2^  -■  -<^4!>  - -V.Jl0^1  ^e44*  xeH: 

. •^.  at^fTi'ifr  ,fT2L-  a 2^  _ > .ln»Ciud 


iuSi.  I ! Vl'^*  i**i  i r 

1^!  »^3rw  t ' 1 iif  t*  bxmi:! 

-x5l^  iZ'  - - i. 


ip  6^-t 


>?X/ii.-ll’'’  . 

i^T  ;i 

..,?  ti  T‘+i^.*> 

...»  .fc“* 

^ rt  , t - 4.  ’•  i 

,U:. 

.i.  ' v<>  aX 


,l-'?.t4  aii): v"^.. ft.  :-c^t  tJtA  ip 


-65- 


natural  deforir.ity  and  make  the ‘most  pernicious  vices  amiable”.-^ 

To  accomplish  this  she  employed  the  letter  'form.  Mrs.  Aubin  uia 
not  enjoy  as  great  popularity  as  did  the  earlier  writers  partly 
because  she  was  too  didactic  ana  partly  because  the  letter  type, 
as  she  used  it,  was  losing  its  interest  for  the  general  public. 

Before  the  trena  of  the  prose  fiction  of  the  early 
years  of  the  eighteenth  century  can  be  discussed  further,  the 
contribution  of  the  Tatler  and  Spectator  to  the  novel  must  be 
consiuerea.  These  papers  created  the  characters  of  Isaac  Bic.er- 
staff  and  Roger  de  Covsrly,  presenting  some  very  clever  work  in 
characterization^  Roger  ae  Coverly  lives  even  as  aoes  Thackeray's 
Colonel  Newcomb.  Aroun,.  these  characters,  revolve  the  comimon 
interests,  problems,  joys  and  sorrows  of  life.  One  of  the  uif— 
ferences,  ana  a transition  as  well,  between  tne  Spectator  ^.nd 
Pamela,  is  that  Pamela  revolves  about  a fixed  center  while  the 
Spectator  p'apers  do  n- 1 . The  cnaracter izat ion  in  tnese  peri'^d- 
icals,  the  imagin-.ry  biographies,  experiences,  and  opinions  on 
current  problenis,  placed  in  ;■*.  slightly  narrative  irame  arawn  up 
with  serious  intent  by  m.en  such  as  Adaison,  with  his  artistic 
literary  perfection,  ana  '^teele,  'vith  his  sympathy,  pathos  and 
■iti  in  these  things  the  Tatler  and  Spectator  foreshadow  the 
m.ouern  novel.  They  used  characterization,  "transfigured  experi- 
ence" and  a very  meagre  plot  — scarcely  mors  than  a light  fra.me, 
but  all  was  touchea  with  si  ill  c.nd  coloriul  imi^gery. 


. - Aub in,  Penelope.  Entertaining  Histories  ana  Noye_ls ^ pe s i;|.^n_ed 
to  Prom.ots  the  C use  of  irtue  and  Honour . London  1739. 


The  Preface. 


r' 


r x3>*5£''C  ‘ .;.  <kT 

V'  ' ■ -.  - 

'S  ..-ii.  .'fl  •:  !♦  i "■  ‘ *■•*.*.  V,-* 

.o£Xi>^  : -■iii.rj.  - ■'  -ZJI  ^ ’ l:r^}t  i>< 

tl-i.  • a.-.v  .,  ^ 

. ;*i  I 

* •.?  '*  Jffll  w^afwi'  * ■*  .'V  «'*'-*  ‘ ~ ‘ ^ *“  *’’ 


/:/  - 


e« 


J T.  . .* 

' I" 

•■'i 


Q 


-1 


OJrialk.1  lid  fciL-'  .'..  uk.ife-  i-4  -ijlM^t.r  _ 

■ ' ' '''^Sifl  ‘ *' 


kk’ 


fr.’  .♦*>.< Crj*47  ' *•  *; 


ii:s£:9S’«^  v?^  Ml  V 

/■  " * 


lUt«k 

.:-^3 


’I  *u  : <tx/vl  ' . . 0-M*C:  fc.  its^iioro 

■♦  -1 

-IXL-  ■»?:  S-H',  ''‘•O  . ' 

.r.  -.wj,0-1  IJ.  - Vito  ^>30UeX^T 


ll 


i^A 

y ^ “f  rJ  t * ' 

T‘— *~  ~~ 

<r« 

- 1 .*1 

Uii^  W 

’ "•  ■ •> 
/•  "■■'■  f>  . 

-■  IffitO 

* '* 

-I)i  4 -n,.,- 

- ,"  *■ 

• -fJL  1 '-.■>.  -.■, 

. (\^i 

» 

4-  “ 

1 « v'«d 

1 1 Jtv 

' >•■•  f.. 


i . ■i-e=B;  iJi'i  *io’,  tl^' 


’►r.  ^ 


.i'i .,p  ■.  -■-'>■ 

^ >1  ‘ . in'.'  . * i rf 

-.  ^ t w ■ ' i-»  . ■ --  fc" 

V,  : I • ! . ~ J 

-J.'-  .*  r ijy‘  '*-  ‘‘’  ■ -i.' C&T 


■ * f **  Jt  I 

^j^.rfTi/j;:  f'i.'Ol  *»u  *1 

' l-r 

,r  :l^s>oiv‘  1 7^  tsiiX 


^ni^S9 


hr 

i • 


- ^*djs — '^-  * 


41  -tV  * j , 

"1 


J‘-e>  'i-JSC*' 

^ . i.i^ 


*^-  ■ 


♦-•  ! 


Tvri: 


p r 


..  ^•~'\  oj  ,■ 

4x  riT*” <?dT 


-66- 


The  traces  of  the  Tatler  and  Si: ^ctator  are  seen  in 
Defoe,  v/hose  ability  in  journalisr.  has  already  been  discussed. 
Robinson  Crusoe,  Defoe's  first  novel, appeared  in  171S.  It  is 
not  written  in  letter  forr  but  is  interesting  hers  because  of 
its  stylistic  re seirlo lances  to  eighteenth  century  perio^xic-ls . 
Defoe  was  a great  letter-writer.  Earl’/  in  his  correspondence,  he 
v-rote  of  real  things  to  real  pec:  Is,  out  1-  ter  he  aelignteu 
in  creating  fictitious  characters  ana  c ircun'st^.ces,  when  pre- 
paring material  fcr  the  various  ns’vs-papers  ana  n aga^iines . In 
these,  he  took  his  first  steps  toward  the  novel.  Defoe  was  a 
man  nearly  sixty  years  of  age  when  he  wrote  Robinson  Crusoe  yet 
his  vigor  had  not  airr.inished . His  realism  is  often  hara,  but  it 
is  effective,  as  he  sits  down  to  tell  this  story  in  the  manner 
of  an  ola  man  in  an  easy  chair  before  the  fireplace,  and  he  tells 
his  totory  vvell.  Defoe  gives  a vigor  ana  straightforwardness  to 
prose  fiction  that  waa  sa^ly  needea.  Moreover  he  was  informal, 
simple,  and  conversational;  his  effectiv'-  use  of  details  holas 
the  interest  rather  than  tires  the  reaaer.  He  Iso  uses  the 
running  c'rlloquial  style  of  the  frmiliar  letter.  If  Defoe  haa 
implanted  a clearer  plot  in  ni  story  he  oight  well  be  called  the 
Father  of  the  English  novel;  even  as  it  is  seme  critics  give 
him  that  pla.ee. 

Cont emp'orary  v;ith  Defoe  is  Jonathan  Cwif^  whose  pen 
left  its  traces  on  the  fiction  of  the  early  eighueenth  century. 
Like  Defoe,  Cv.ift  T'ossessea  a splenaid  vigoicous  style  full  of 
intimate  charm  as  well  as  satirical  invective.  In  his  J ournal 


to  Stella,  Swift  ais;  lay-’  his  cn  rm  v^na  e-  se  of  style,  the  in- 


< ^ -VI  , 


- ^ ff'i 

. .V^r', 


>Ua-  ; i.(,  » r 


' m* 


- «»  . . .60>ff 


Ic  vii-VO#'^  -1!^ 


:•"!  ♦; 


:s0^ 

•4-1  :.f*t  m i\''  ‘ vr.  .t :-^.ts^?itw.  TTi*. 

. •Vv^Jtasj'i*  . ^.;-j*^ <;.-••  ■»»■  ia"***!  . viiniXtl^i  •■ ; 


*-■ 


^1^  ■4’3*»*;av  -/fli'fS 


J, 


^t4  ^a4«  i i*  «4^«w' 


.*h»  *'♦’ 


.■>  ^.,- V*  . • ► *' 

':3 

*••  • ■ ♦ , r 

'-»'«•<  V*  ' 

^ -..1-::-'^  ' . .il:.  •:. 

e . 

* 

F«’i  ^ 1 W ay* 

'?*■  . * • 

1 

i 

Mhl*  j 4 . * * ^ ^ 

i. 

f - '■  -yj 

4\’.  ,?  • •*  i 

f. 

v^  *i*^ ' - 1 * ’>  i—'t  ' 

..a- 

; V r 

/ 

,,m  ' • *' . f >1;'  " ^.'V  6 , 

• •-»  iUiJ 

”v;.‘ 

,* .»  _ 

V 

4 

*5.  ■ -■  v?»X/4  • 

- . 44  '4 

'..  X‘  e,y>.  ,-■  *- 

V 

CrW)  8 Ait  r • . > ' 

J 

•jti##*..’ 

I-€  , iO^'  -‘‘\:» 

-•■  : • V-!  ■ 1^  ^M•..-• : 

t f 

J 

*«*  *^31* 

. !*  dl 

•< 

■ -li  V ly^i ‘ : el.*) 

,7«  -f.%-i  ■ ■ ■'  'V*  •■*si.-.-i 

^ .‘i.^. ; gill  4ta  B 

V * 

, ' Vv  \ ■'‘-X  *.  r 


U *i 

V * 

f ~ 

V. 


it#  ti 


. .. .,  *-^ 

<>  i' .#•  *.  ■’:■!  .;  * 

•* 

*;■.  ■=  •' 

i /■'taJ^*  ti»-  *:i  . >:  o?Y4i  4 d;i4i*is  vi^?'  v. 


'£«■  ii»  ifTt?  t<  - ».»  ?>■*  < 


timate  touch  that  makes  it  such  interesting  reaaing.  The  Tale 
of  a Tuh>  Battle  of  the  Books^  and  Crullivex ' s Travels  give  a view 
of  hie  cutting  satire.  Of  these  last  mentioned  works,  Gulliver ' s 
Travels  approacnes  more  nearl3r  the  novel  in  its  presenting  of 
charp^cters  and  incidents  although  it  lacks  a,  re-1  i-ioi:.  In  ev- 
er3'’thing  thac  he  \.rote,  Swift  wa.-^  always  the  careful  -^cribe;  a 
keen  artist  sensiiive  to  the  finer  meaning  of  words,  nothing 
was  too  trivial  to  be  slighted,  Swift  was  not  affected,  nor 

formal,  --he  was  straightforward  and  simple.  He  is  at  his  best 
in  the  Journal  to  Stella  and  for  this  reason  merits  comi..ent  in 
u-iscussing  the  letter's  contribution  to  the  novel. 

Pn  enthusiast  for  letters,  though  net  a grec.t  writer 
himself,  Wr..?  Thcmcr  '“rcr.n.  He  '.•r -■  the  collector  of  m;c.ny  inter- 
esting letters  presenting  them  ai  novels.  His  Ov^n  work  appears 
in  four  vclumies,  the  thixu.  volume  of  '.'.hich  is  given  over 
"Serious  ana  comic-1"  letters  for  the  entertainment  of  men  ana 
women.  His  style  is  very  witty  ana  personal;  the  writer  appears 
to  be  the  teller  of  the  story  ana  is  often  invclveu.  in  the  action 
itdsif.  Each  letter  id  a story  in  itoelf,  closely  following  the 
letter  otyle  although  the  content  h^d  changed. 

Two  other  novels  of  this  perica  using  the  letter  form  and 
style  were  The  Double  G j ti ve  or  Chains  upon  Chains,  "containing 
the  aiTiOurous  proems  of  a young  Gentlem:an,  one  of  the  Preston  Pris- 
oners at  •Wew  Gate,  Occasionea  by  his  falling  in  love  with  a 
Scotch  Lccdy  who  came  to  visit  his  friend"  ana  Ale  vis  ana  Sylvia, 
the  secona  novel  in  The  Constc^nt  Lovers,  "Being  the  live  and  ten- 
der letters  that  pas  ed  between  them  after  her  father  had  ter- 
m.inatea  their  arr.our" . 


These  titles  suggest  the  wilaly  romantic 


• xJiT  R*^i6in  *uiiJ 

h ' • -..  j *"'■  ' . ^ ^ 

f Ti^L  e'  ^ ijv  f^  a laV^^.  T ^ i 1^  ii 


I - 


Ail  'idAili  IC  " lo 

i A V TI  ■ ^ ^ \ ^ 


't.  ^.r-r'.'.t^-iT  o*i‘  >f  «iifcr  •-?*?  ^ a;i: " 

^ - , . ; . A»  *.  • - • 1 'ff  1 Cf^gA^Od  !/■  B#*S:  '.  ''  u i 

‘ #»  # ^ 


.Pf^p;  -^  . '■•  ' ^ ■ 4L 

is**-  ■,3*^0’'  .'  ,;«  ' , - *.  'iTfiji  V'-  . i “^I^B  i ‘ 


« 


•ifV 


^ I*.  ^ * ' i B 


TT^C<  j h i‘,l  »■  U !' 


jJtAi  t*.  ‘ 


^■.ffi^.'.v:  : * 1 wi  • *1  . : <IC^'  ti^.JiLkti^  ^ . 

.'  i|-»  L ’ • /■' i'X^iJCfO  •■*-^  J ■«  »» 


* » » Ji  *• 

^ Z » j 


r.-?  -'  1 i z-S\ 


' «Uu  4 

lf$V^ 

i,  a 


'4  -«■ 


I - 


:.  ; « : ■ ivt.5  #■  • 

.•  4 »■  . ■^  * 

I ' ^ i i;  * * — •*  ’ • 


r.aa'v  'lit-* 


- # <• 

A.  .(^'  ■■. 


‘6i 


ie  r.'-il 


. I.-'.U  . ^ **  * O *w< 


j <b 


i-ti 


iii  . --  • t 


Vii  'S' 

’ ■ " - / "-^  '. 


J ■ . • .ffi ^ - ' «<i  s % ^-*  J 1 ® ^ * 


. > T'‘.(0’  ^ t.£»'  *A'^  *-*‘»  i-‘’  -“i- 1 ' 


*■ 


' 1 '1  * .^  i B .; V ;•  i4(  ii'  A.  • tisif''^  ft 


' Jl  O ^ ^ f t * * 


I 


ai  M - ; '•  K 


t: « *i^' 


yT  _ i ^ - ^ O--.  3>  *»«*. 


-<r:  7 


i «B'3U^A  "’3- 

;J  '-V.-  •-  'C*  ^ isVOS 


/ ‘ Of.x  ii^l4 


5»i;  4rB"‘^‘**»  9A**- 


S4f  r'*  1 

. _ • :'*^  ■"'»  _ 

. "Il  ’!.♦  ' ^3li 

in 

I • 

-i||^ 


» 


iMI 


-68- 


tenv^encies  depicted  in  letters  that  were  gradually  oeing  cver- 
CGme  cy  Realiem, 

To  return  to  the  literary  women  of  the  age,  Rli^-a  Hay- 
wood stands  cut  as  the  >'03t  prominent  and  prolific  woman  writer 
of  the  early  eighteenth  century.  Eliza  Haywood(Heyvvood) , born 
in  London  in  1693,  possessed  a very  temiperamental  genius  that  led 
her  from  aivorce  to  various  other  scandals.  '^he  mede  a living 
for  herself  and  her  two  children  by  vvriting  almost  every  form 
of  literature.  The  comments  upon  her  character  that  appeareu 
in  the  Tetler  numbers  S and  4C,  are  quite  enlightening.  "She 
v.as  u fine  laay  who  writes  verses  -and  uances  and  can  say  what 
she  pleases  and  do  whao  she  pleases  without  imiputation  of  any- 
thing that  can  injure  her  character  fcr  she  is  well  known  to 

hove  no  possession,  but  self-love  or  folly.  They  only 

cry,'  It  is  her  '.vay*  . 'That  is  sc  like  her',  without  further 
inflection. " 

/fter  failing  as  a playwright^,  Eliza  Haywoou  took  up 
novel  writing  using  Aphi'a  Behn,  '.!-^ry  l^anley  anu  Eefoe  as  her 
models.  Her  first  novel  appear  d under  the  title  of  Letters 
from  a Laay  of  t'uall ty  to  a Chevalier.  In  1735,  she  proauced 

the  Tea  Table  and  the  following  year  Ref lec  ’vions  on  the  Var- 

% 

Eff  eats  of  Love . These  two  works  of  fiction  aia  not  aahere 
to  the  letter  forir.  but  they  aid  follow  closely  the  style  of  the 
narrative  letters  of  Aphra  Pehn  ana  llary  Manley  and  others. 

Later  she  returns  to  the  letter  form.  In  173C  appeared  Love 

l.-Whicher,  George  T.  Life  of  Eliza  Haywooa.  Hew  York.  191b:  4,5 


t.-i 

- . ■ 1-  * r .-li-a  'Ji;  *l¥.  ai 


t'j*  il  » '^*'.  * /Jt 


■*’h  :*•■  w 


i^i  - ; ■,  ‘ Aisi9«r  wrt : . -*  i ’ t . . ■ ; a«;i:  -fn  v^  - tij|l 

‘■g 

* i f A %9lt '•„>««  Silv^lXv 


-J  ft 


i 1 *8i  ^ ilC '*-’ *J  BA 


i.V 

» 


\fr.^  j fcVc^i*a.v  fjrv  40-.c».‘lt  viil  7«H  . 

■ . 

Ut  l#lt  *Tl:  1 

;,*5&/;I^4J' 


iyj^f  eX^  » '!*  ;*^  / '*  r ,,\t  ’ 

' > 

^ n» » I -'.  . i-».' 

..->3  i*»jf  ":*'•■  o «|kQ 

. ? ' ' • .'  O ;'  ' '«  . . 

h^L-uZ'l^  A<J.\  V *..  .I-.' V . 

V bJV’'  ^ i*'*-  ^^ '■*  <*'a - i'4  * ^ 

■ ^-  ...  \ ..  - . Tdiw  .«.4s.  .iW'*X^-  S‘»-i*'*'  ^ - - 

C . ■ - ’ . , Z * ’ 

^ i ^ik  in  X.  ^ *<  • 


A 


g - i-q  bi4« 

*"! 

1 A.*i  .tr^^*z^Az  '-'M  *j;  ■;  tt.»aY  j 

V . ' ‘ ■ 4£  ■,  / 7 ■ 

\ ^C.  . ^ -‘  * “ . f i .'  a 1 %<ft  r , «o'i..*‘'v  £«.:♦  1 ’.a*  , V.  » . -.  ■ 13- “ tf  av  d 


,'77*.  -4;i . *i 


'*'f- 


• ..U  : 

'7\*,  >M 

nr,  i '''ijUI  , zt\t  , 1 ^d.\  ^itr  Mt  . : »7^ii 


JV  .»'?>i*  wOO--  !»»•''  ’'-il  ‘*  •"'  . iii  1 7".  Jt*. 

'?  • 

:vS  "It  -birBSii  ^ ' ■***^, 

e*i3.’.  !J  lO  ftlJii  V#ti>  tai  •:.'  9tt>feAi.  itiVvJI  X • *.  ‘ibjf  . aXbZ*.  S 


Lra'iUi^Z  ,0^'’!  - .^ 


13,  V : * i -m^z 


-ijl 

4 


g*  t >»■  ■ V V'  '■•  z I 

j nrlt^i  /.. ■ KKla  i ,,  1-  J •.  73?i»x 


• •-  <i.‘-''  '‘  »'.ru  . 'la.; 

a V^.t  4Jb  i ■ ' I t « 


H-a^  ■ V.-- 

« >*' 

'■■’V./Vr*- 


. f 


^ Jx*,  i*\*  „<T  -iTi..'?  5 
♦"jl*  A/'  , 


itf  s-^i 


69- 


Lettera  on  All  Occasions ; a series  of  sarr.ple  love  letters  with 
the  touch  of  the  story-teller  adorning  them.  Her  Love  in  Excess 
might  be  called  a novel--at  least  it  resembles  the  novel  more 
closely  than  any  other  work  of  Mrs.  Haywood’s.  The  letters  (Jf 
Love  in  Excess  represent  various  types,  some  languishing,  some 
sentimental,  some  passionate  and  others  burning  with  jealous 
rage.  Her  chief  role  seems  to  have  been  that  of  w'riting  let- 
ters; she  surpassed  all  of  her  predecessors  not  only  in  the  num,- 
cer  of  letters  but  in  draping  the  veil  of  fiction  about  them  so 
that  she  stands  out  as  a true  story-teller.  After  studying  her 
work,  it  is  clear  that  Fliaa  Haywoou.  presents  a very  strong  case 
for  herself  when  considering  the  contribution  of  the  seventeenth 
century  letter  to  the  novel  ana  furthermore  it  can  scarcely  be 
saia  that  Picharasen  is  the  meticulous  inventor  of  letter-novels, 
nor  in  fact,  of  the  English  neve.  v,’hat  then  haa  happenea  to 
prose  fiction  since  1665? 

During  a period  of  approximately  seventy-five  years, 
prose  fiction  in  Englana  had  pas.^ea  through  a num.ber  of  stages, 
always  pressing  ferwara.  '^he  letters  cf  Margaret,  Duchess  of 
Newcastle^  presented  scenes  from;  life  with  interesting  touches 
oi  realism,  which  she  almost  invariably  simothered  in  her  attempt 
to  m:oralize.  This  aressing  of  m.oralizing  was  the  chief  "source" 
of  toe  tim;e  but  it  scon  palled  on  the  reauers.  ''in  reaction,  the 
translation  of  Zue  t etters  of  a Portugese  Hun  swept  over  England 
with  an  overwhelming  force  and  all  fiction  was  swallowed  up  by 
the  nyper-emot ional  French  Pom:anticism. . The  active  minds  of  the 


seventeentn  century  were  not  satisfied  with  m*ere  emotionalism;. 


fLL  - • 

V 1 W-.  ’ I ^ ^ i *#V'  ■ *> 


"::r'  -■ 


. .4' r.j  Ta•'f^el^  i '•;  - cuSilK.^i«^eO'i&  ^.. 

■ ^ . ■ ; V - 

< -4}.  r>'J 

* ;|-,  l«’>ficS  iv(t^  * k,  ,.  -\  ^ t<''(  < • 


^ j V 4.  *:  '>;\r  vi  V#4»  — "iw._-T>  T?-  - • . ^ 

e-  -15'^r*  ir.  M'rt  5 - .' ■«  ‘i  **ev.  %*■  -jwu  it>-i~  ii- 

- *11  ^ 1 -'fc  Z«fl 


i -j '- 


i‘ 


‘ , - . ’ T-.  - '.» 

• A-  •■  ■ • A 1 T ' • ^ 


trwrfJ^w'^ 

, I^Vf;  'to  in «.’  X. '« 

■<~i  ,:>ik'r  ,*,  ' .;2  o.»..  ■ . ^''„ii  v ■»  t'- . 


i.-> 


t -'■  r • '.v  J l-vJ  'X^  ■;?»'*'■  -'1''4  ;-•  ; >, 

* - ’’  ' ' "'  .'I  j>-  ‘ 

i « '*%»<#*  Jv-'  *4;  JUi.t^  '*.  - .s  »}-i-'Oil 

■— * ^ .4:  ■ ■«  1 _ •- 


* 4»>  .■'*-.  - 


: :*• 


L... 


* ' ^ >■'  .'^  ^ *'*  *L- 


r-t. 


^0’ 


».i.7  • ■“-  ^ **'*^‘.^ 

_2£^  _ - ,.  ■ j • :ei  , 4_^  . ifc  0 J e T *t^  *tf.  . ^ 

. .;■  Ii.  :j . 0- iwX^cv-^An-  -- 


k U '^ 


i ' , <■  1* 

* -• 

ill^‘  ii:? { f'  ja34 


1^ 


■ f J 


■»  _M_  jpimp.e^— I— %^>»w 


-70- 


they  darea  to  go  farther  and  farther,  revelling  in  vice  ana  in- 
trigue; the  proauct  of  the  Restoration  Period.  The  horrible 
soraidness  of  irinas  is  seen  in  the  work  of  .Aphra  Behn,  Congreve, 
Mary  Manley  and  Penelope  Aubin. 

’’'ith  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  a rriore  wholesome  aspect 
of  life  cam.e  into  control.  Jane  Barker  took  up  her  moralizing 
pen  against  vice.  A more  potent  and  natural  influence  was  exer- 
cised by  tne  Tat ler  and  Spectator . These  periodicals  saw  life 
through  kindlier,  m:ore  gentle  eyes;  to  them  the  comaron  details 
of  life  offered  som.ething  of  beauty  and  true  happiness  rather 
tnan  only  the  m.ost  sordia  ugliness.  On  the  other  hand,  it  seems 
that  the  readers  were  beginning  to  think  upon  a higher  plane, 
their  outlook  had  broadened.  This  in  part,  accounLe  for  the  pop- 
ularity of  such  periodicals  as  the  Tat ler  ana  Spectator. 

Robinson  Crusoe  appeared  in  1719,  portraying  a finer 
realism,  a miore  natural  and  harmonious  view  of  life.  Swift's 
Gulliver ' s Travels  , although  cruelly  satiric  at  timies,  presents 
a realism  to  be  adm.ired  although  it  lackea  the  kinaliness  of 
Defoe,  Adaison  and  Steele.  Then  Eliza  Haywood,  by  choosing 
the  rom.antic  and  realistic  in  comibination,  shows  in  her  work  the 
overthrow  oi  the  worst  type  of  roniaiitic  extravaganza.  Something 
m.ore  iaeal  than  the  late  century  knew,  unfolaea  fromi  all  the 
soraianess  ana  again  the  letter  form,  is  rrieans  for  accomplishing 
the  new  transit i^  n in  the  hand  of  the  noted  letter-writer,  Sam- 
uel Richardson. 

Richardson  appears  a.s  the  m:ost  outstonding  figpire  in 
the  early  history  of  the  English  nove.  To  him  is  ascribed  the 


• ‘U*"- 

*iflWv  fff  '.  ft-uy.  ■.  isfk.'\  .'  i 

’ '*  - '"  y.  ' •■  ■* 

i- > •*  <‘.?5i’ 

^ ^ y - 

»•'*'■  I ♦ -.>«T  .;®i.  y.^k“  tli»' 

ttfd  f-::.-  j;rc/ a* i :.*!*>  »'S,.‘'.xl  •.;  1<p  n;;..' .•  - ■•' -'  . 

t:  m1  j!>i»iioi:ai  'l<> 

Tr.  7 : '^jr  V-  . & ii  " n hij^ 

J 

e*^iZ  .?h  '^i  ^-.-r;?  .'i  :?.v-r,^  ‘1^*  : i «iit  v4  J5®  !w 


‘T.  I* 


. .a.: -^«n ~ ,<j  .-.  X'^go^U, 

r-  ' .,  . - I 

.y  X ;.«•/,. :^.;drfi  a*i 

' ’ ’ . 4 ' 

..fc.,i-  t '*  ,1  T^'.^*  -».  ■ . V'''i ti*'  '•*  9 u* 

’ .'  ^ '’.1 

4 C l-  . ^ci*r  »7f  ; » i 

s '.*  *1  i ' ::i  qja"  " . . t.'^  xl94/ 

•JL- Stf*  ?;  %^is  ~ I ^-<1 

'Ikili-l  » %;.irsxtr:'  ^ Ve  fy  >;  W '. 


k;' 


» • * 


1 :ri' 


.iUX  -C9  V 1*7--  -dX 


n ry*2  > 


*-o  II 


«f^A 


; ^ -ill?  .•  ■ : ‘i  * - f-t'*. '■  r 4r^ 

oc/ii,.  ;,  ^ ^ "wirT  . '^-■sl.'T.  . *btl 

l»k4  lI^  iirg»  ^ '.  fti’  t.«i4  '.■;*a'*u'i 


nL  Vf5a 


:.i7- .^r^-^x  /new 


/ « 


i X C r... 


'*rT  < '**i.  r xr  ' £ £>.t:$^  i^,%fjf^  -jy^y 

J.’  Z'\  fl*T3a»..  dii  L«r 

,T.»  *t  i - >r.  j|«l  r W' 

^ . *-9,4  'ji  . ^ 


flPt 

< 

Htf;  3C*.^?J  . : 


* *A 


ixXSi^^  i-s 


.'  -■■■ii 


!#>*■' 


n ' • . / 1'  .H  v-iM 


71- 


title  of  the  Father  of  txie  English  Novel  even  though  he  was  pre- 
cecLed  by  writers  who  made  worthy  contributions  to  the  novel.  In 
this  capacity,  the  life  and  personality  of  Richardson  deserves 
scrr.e  brief  study. 

Raniuel  Richardson  was  born  somewhere  in  Derbyshire  in 
looS,  of  a family  of  simple  circumstsoices;  his  father  was  a join- 
er. His  education  was  commonplace  as  was  his  birth.  At  the  age 
of  seventeen,  he  was  apprenticed  to  a printer,  his  ailigence 
soon  advancing  him  to  the  position  of  journeymr^n.  At  this  early 
age  he  hau  shown  the  ability  of  turning  mioralizing  phrases  ana 
lurthermore,  he  had  gained  the  confidence  of  the  young  vjomen  who 
in  the  difficulties  of  their  love  aifairs  had  besougnt  himi  to 
write  their  let'^ers  for  them..  It  seemea  he  knew  so  well  hew  to 
shape  those  tender  phrases  or  tne  phrases  of  disdain.  Thus  ear- 
ly he  had  learned  the  heart  of  woman,  and  haa  developed  some  a- 
bility  as  a writer.  It  was  through  this  work  that  Richardson 
developed  an  alm.cst  insatiable  app'etite  for  letters,  the  writing 
of  which  became  his  only  diversion. 

Richardson  was  fifty  years  of  age  when  he  produced  not 
only  nis  iirst  novel,  out  tne  first  true  English  novel.  This 
was  Pamela,  the  almost  unconscious  outgrowth  of  Richardson’s  pro- 
pensity for  letter-writing.  A very  interesting  letter  from 
Richardson's  corresp'onaence  tells  of  the  crig,in  of  Pamela; 

"Mr.  Rivington  and  ^^r.  Osborne,  whose  names  are  on  the 
title  page,  had  long  been  urging  me  to  give  to  them  a little 
book  (which  they  said  they  are  often  asked  after)  of  familiar 
letters  on  the  useful  concerns  in  comim.cn  life  and  at  iast  I 


.1 


k 


a”'.  .X>v‘^^  :i«Si  yii^- 

? '■■■  ■ 

' \ :'*X 


- t ,1  * i . , f ’ 1^ 

•’rl*',..  iHiii '«*•■?  T.  ■*  ^*0  -|; 


'*»  .*r  -,i 


■'  -■'  -■  - - .^.:>  1 .‘X4 


'(  ,:v«*  ’^’a5-  .^4.  - uv^iti ., 

' ■■  ...  ' .!  '' 

Aen  -vr^/fcl  Vxti  ,,f“3.vn  S»1U0ti  ti'  V«  ' ^ » 

• 

li  -’AjBSSp'Xi.  •'  si^T  ,.7l.^rovh^  jZTf",  .!» 

• -Q  ^ 

50 

%^5?4Uiv.i  . -«a,:rjE:i-  ' 't- 

‘ tf  ' ^ . *■  *4t* 

■5a ft  :’>!ic  . -Jl.'  ">*"  ' AJ!-!  ':  Ssi  ;:-i  .e’V  ■ tj  -i  . ,«T0^s,au  ju1 

. fct  i*.  » -' 


'^i  M 


ftft  ^‘i!liti  1'  .sdj  Ccroi  fti^  ^r3  ih- 

■’<^T/#  ■ ‘‘'Z 

,*  '.AH  y .'  ’ ? i *' vf 4 a?  3^ i ■ ■-■ 


- ■=•  »fV  ‘ 


•~lJ»  ’ • !•  i»  • 

5 ;-  ^ - --^it  ■54/  '5l  .^,  ^ -•ff 

^ fkiri  . J n 1 ^..la  • 7 If •»  ‘ ««;  'I  . iv  * i I ft  a:  A J ,'^  -i  ^ 


!■“ 


i?  4U-  ^ * r *i!  *t Al.  i- ;. : 

. *.■■■  ’ . 

/ * - • * ■ 

“*  i fk  ’ 


tZ'  '■■'  / 

I , 

te  JH9^'i.'^t  *^ina  isgi  ' «•  v>\  M ^ 


■ ii.^'^  ii  *’8 


-Cl 


. /;r.  .‘'.v-.;  7^'Ui  am 


1:  ,rl8tSfe- 


■^ . - ^ 1 * '7  *• . ‘ ■■  .■‘j  HA*/  .4  i ' *• 

■’/'.A  ■."  * 

oit  75>P5;  '4'*'?*'  . • -lol  ^ 

»^V  . 

: .■ . . lu  ~ I'j  Id  aoiiyFi.'rfC' ’--'vil  l"ff*,- 

viJ  ««  4taiid  :-  ^ ^ .^r' 

• - ’■  .->  - y 

' lifc--  • * 38X2  : '■ -a  - '.a&I  ^.  . .'S'jiJi, 

* •.•■  _ - I 

-v  1 .;s*f  V9 /*  lec*i^ 

► ■*  ■ '’1  -X  V . 

. 1'  'Ai  ■ *A«  .'I  .*  tfl  .d^^oafio  Ii-'i6*A . . .***  4lv  X 


♦ is 


-72- 


yielaed  to  their  importunities  and  began  to  recollect  such  as  I 
thougnt  would  be  useful  in  such  a design  ana  formed  several  let- 
ters accordingly.  And,  among  the  rest,  I thought  of  giving  one 
or  two  as  cautions  to  young  folks  circumstanced  as  Pamela  was. 
Little  aid  I Lhink  at  first  of  making  one,  much  less  two  volumes 
of  it.  Put  when  I began  to  recollect  what  had  sc  me.ny  years  be- 
fore been  told  to  my  friend,  I thought  the  story,  if  v;ritten  in 
an  easy  natural  m.anner  suitable  to  the  simplicity  of  it,  miight 
possibly  introduce  a new  species  tnat  mdght  possibly  turn  young 
people  into  a course  of  reading  different  from;  the  pom.p  and  par- 
ade of  rom.ance  -vricing  and  aisCiissing  the  imp'robably  and  rcarvell-  . 
ous  with  which  novels  generally  abound,  might  tend  to  prom.ote 
the  cause  of  religion  and  virtue.  I therefore,  gave  way  to  en- 
largement 30  Pamela  oecam,e  a.o  you  see  her.  But  so  little  dia  I 
hope  for  the  approbation  of  judges  that  I hau  not  the  courage 
to  send  the  two  volumes  to  your  ladies  ’■'ntil  I found  the  bocks 

well  received  by  the  public.  I aia  so  diligently  through 

all  my  other  business  that  by  a m.etrcrandumi  on  m.y  copy,  I began 
it  (Pam.ela)  November  1C,  1739  ana  finished  it  January  1C  of  the 
ne-:t  year." 

Thus  it  is  made  known  how  a simj  le  letter  mianual  grew 
into  one  hundred  thirty-five  letters,  representing  intimiate  ccr- 
responaence,  developing  into  the  first  ^^nglish  novel.  Richard- 
son uses  the  letter  form,  in  order  to  em.ploy  a simple,  direct  and 
unadornea  style;  a style  free  from;  pom;p  and  affectation.  He 


1. -Scott '8  Prose  Work  Edinburgh  183C,  I IT  Letter  _to  Aaron  Hill. 


P,7  fttfr  5 


>00T  <W'  A4^1  ta#  L vXtf  xisiiS  J'S 


V-  -jy*  :a?vv5i»  ■; 

!/  ■ ■ *" 

■**■'  i«-f’-i'-  '■;  »«^.t.‘  T .>•••».' ,Ufc  ; 

■ I ‘ . ' '' 

wT  -ii3  wii>A  dit«l  Ow  ,tefiC5i^0^d'>ri 


«a.te  J^a4i  - 1-.  iiitdi  i t:ii  ^1 


-:?  :-«-„.--n- \.n.'. : it.*  ..^/  .^adUC^W.  ;’t/e,  .Ji 

--  t -T>;>ji*-  :-!?  I ^ ^(^;if' i-^''  ti}  £jX”v^  a'’  oc<  910I 


« . . ii:. 


*^.hs  < U -:f.J:  9t1^  '9"ltCj»v*JUc!l  Ifirc.^JO  Y«^» 

IL  -•s’*  •" 

I rtjtw-  \i!^i('-;  ^ •:’ 1 y i « •ro^i  ..% 

* . ■ *"  * ■ *"’i  ' ' - '■ 

|(.  Bix^  it  »*x  i>>  »ii -.rco  .'nt*  eIi'«so * 

I A ' ’ , ■"..■*  * ■T'  «* 


■T  f 


•li 


- ■-t  * 


Ytv-n  i;.!c.  ^XriA<!0'.  n o -vf  iw  Vx* ' :;^fy  ^-^v^crx  . 

'“*■  ■ >-'  - — 

\ ■ . J ...ii  c ..'  .•  1 »n  , ad ; .dytdfvfl  a ri » .'.  ■:!»  AHj^  tir^ 

* I ^ ‘ w , ■ ■" 

; 'v.  :■*#  Ji  I . tijl  >0  9»I/£C'  dii/ 


! •., . '■  bXj  il  ^a.'  . -‘ijiX  Q^  K jV'  - ; ti  :■  T ^'ri.das^xaX* 


\ 


30n  ••  .1  r t^iLdp^yi^V'  ^A$  T-A  ■ 

s.*t^.  X/t.vo  * * i i ;■  •?  *4  ' i>^i ...  i ♦***.iTf ‘X. ' V ^..'<*  £itb d 

■*  - » . ^ _ 


A^L“  'ii*7  • - »*  * • / .,  C>’  I'ltf  I-^“.«-.  . :,  , ! •{*,  - ^ tn^nt^  J-Hoff 

■ •’  • • 


I . *•  ■ ■ * xiif  Srn:  ..«*3v<Ti&.  . r iii 

i'.  / .9 


*■  ♦/ii  '.»  Ol  'J’ViJWit  i.-rt*jB!lt.*li8f^ei'r  ’,-i;  1IS.-4;.VC>S  (ii';- .:-J>  ', 


»H5,  i ..,•.■«(«  V*  -*.1  .1*4 ■«  ■■•..  - f-:  31  injt,’ 

“ ♦■  ' W 


—’I-.'  - 


^4.4, 4X  •'!  !»vi‘:-\^i  iflT  .‘1  .*  I r^Tv 


. *,- V 4 !1 '■4X-ytV^ij^'i  . •.■  ^ f.r'rX  :■  .''••'■!>-  .f-'Oi^^Juart'V  i»i|j 

7C»v-X4.-  - VClX'X^J?  xA^i:  ‘ .i  *jr!^ 


•,fs.' 


dil  .(f  i i * ^trii  *ii  r ^i•  ♦ jr  ie&i«'.'>*  triT.  :!< 

‘ .„,.’.-W 


ill  Asli* ^ '1V-?^X  . .JIT  X r>* 

.01*1  .»■.? 


i»<  swarjMPCT 


-73- 

also  felt  that  the  letter  would  appeal  to  its  reader's  interest. 
Richardson's  letter  novels  did  not  grow  out  of  his  predilection 
for  letter-writing  but  because  he  w'as  endeavoring  to  simplify 
and  purify  the  age. 

The  story  of  Pamela  is  familiar.  Few  can  brave  the  two 
volumes  for  admittedly,  Pamela  is  very  slow  and  tiring.  But  as 
Dr.  Johnson  rather  tersely  said  of  Richardson,  "If  you  read  him 
for  the  story  your  impatience  would  be  so  rriuch  fretted  that  you 
would  hang  yourself.  You  must  re  d him  for  the  sentiment  and 
consider  the  story  as  only  giving  rise  to  the  sentiment."  Rich- 
ardson employs  so  many  sm.all  details,  tne  senciment  is  sometimes 
sickening,  the  m.oralizing  tiresome  oecause  it  is  sentim.ental  rath- 
er than  logical;  in  fact  some  critics  rather  f&ceticusly  substi- 
tute for  the  title  of  Pamela,  or  Virtue  Rewarded;  Pamela  or 

Rewardea  . Richardson's  real  virtue  not  only  lay  in  the 
fact  that  he  narrated  outward  events  as  they  appeared  to  his 
char •-:>cter8  separately  but  also  the  motives  of  each  one,  and  their 
attending  emotions.  He  also  took  a subject  from,  a not  unreal 
and  impossible  circumstance  and  built  his  story  upon  it. 

Richardson's  work  was  extrem.ely  popular.  Readers  were 
eager  to  accept  the  simplicity  and  realties  of  Pamela;  to  them 
the  two  volum.es  were  not  tiresome.  Thackeray  in  his  novel  the 
Virginians,  gives  an  imiagina.ry  conversation  showing  Ricnaraaon's 
popularity  upon  the  publishing  oj.  hi,-:,  first  novel: 

"The  greot  autxior  was  accustomied  to  i.'e  adored.  A gentler 
wind  never  puffed  m'ort*^!  v-nity.  Enraptured  spinsters  flung  tea- 
leaves  round  him  and  incensed  him  with  the  coffee-pot.  Matrons 
kissed  the  slippers  tiiey  had  v-forkea  for  n^m;. 


There  was  a halo  of 


ti.r.i  J.  M'il0 
r — n?r 

V 


• - - " . “'  " :-..j  '.V  „-  f,  * ' “■ 

t*''  A.-i 1 7;^'*'  . va  sXVV-ut 

f ’ • . jf 


*.■ ;..  ■ ’4‘ ' 


\ 


o».-'*(L*  -.v’..i.>  "=  ’ .Ml-'-i  ->t-  «t  ■4g5S?.  ■'■■ 


^<S  . , .,  •■t,j|'->?  -.>b,l»-»iE  'J*fT  »i  ■.■ilosy'jima*  t-?l  t^£o*  •■’ 


™:<!  ;.^91  II*  ,3<i/p»»--=-i>i  ^ 

r ■ ■ ■ • • *- 


Hi.  c .-L^t  'UO', 

fc’/iV  »*J  '*#•  - -‘■'I-’"  *»»“ 

, • ■’*■■*  I . '* 

t ^ . ' • ^ 


-Jo* 


. J 


p.,,uMe'.  e 


-X  ' • ■’H'f 

I ' ibsJa*^  ^ 


«iJl  «J  tox  V*-;; . VKJ.':  .9  *■»- vi  ■(>■-•««**-  • * .<«  ^ 

' .*3^  '.^  :s::> 

,,  i,  ,- i.'V.?f i‘ i-'i  «« ^ liHI • 'i 


-r  » . 


i 


' i. 


03  1 


il  u-  .t'Mtf  3-  v-'f'iiMiT  f=  ;-;Wiia  faff  «.w  -■■■■-' '»<»«^«  , 

;l(,v.  rt  arff%'  f ,,4  p-ai.is-ilfWl  ffrff  O'* -.i-  r*i  ii'^Oil 

7»_;a7,  . -tot-  » -■.  t.v,:r -•.«>«:»  '■  J •*i»  -"'f^' 

.^11-S-i*'^'-’  .'  ftjr-r  I -3«s.  *9^-!!;-  >^-' 

’ ..  . i>oi  ..'i  'e||  sl9-p*at^ai  "■  * V ' '* "’ 

i';  ^-'-.i‘l'!!:T  aad  ^94?  fit?  Ci‘ 


-74- 


virtue  around  his  night-cap.  All  Europe  haa  thrilled,  panted,  ad- 
iriired,  treiribled,  wept  over  the  pages  of  ohe  imir.ortal  little, 
kina,  i^onest  man  with  the  round  paunch." 

After  the  great  success  of  Pamela,  Richardson  wrote  two 
other  popular  letter  nc\''el3,  Clarissa  Harlcwe  and  cir  Charles 
Grandisch.  In  these  two  books  he  showed  a markea  improvement  in 
the  use  of  the  letter;  he  employed  more  narrative  art  ana  less 
tiresome  aeta.il.  These  books  held  supreme  over  the  field  of  fic- 
tion until  Joseph  Andrews  cam.e  from  the  pen  of  Fielding. 

It  is  of  paramount  importance  tc  the  stuaent  of  the 
seventeenth  century  letter  and  its  contribution  to  the  novel,  that 
the  first  real  English  novel  and  the  imm.ediately  preceding  fiction, 
were  written  in  tne  letter  form  with  the  same  general  character- 
istics of  simplicity,  informality,  gr..ce  of  intimacy,  sincerity 
and  realism  that  characterize  Richardson’s  work.  It  is  net  tne 
purpose  of  this  payer  to  trace  tue  use  of  tne  letter  in  fiction 
beyona  the  time  of  ^icharasen  though  this  night  easily  be  done 
even  into  txie  most  lucent  work. 


"liat  conclusiona,  then,  may  be  drawn.  It  has  been  point- 
ed cut  that  the  seventeenth  century  letter  m.ade  very  worthy  and 
fruiciui  contributi  ns  to  the  newspaper  an...  tne  essay.  In  both 
cases  tne  letter  served  a,s  the  transitional  m.ediumi  for  the  dev- 
elo]:m;ent  of  the  literary  form.s.  The  letter  colored  and  shaped 
the  particular  immediate  characteristics  of  style.  The  a3iae 
thing  is  true  with  reference  to  the  eorly  eighteenth  century 
novel.  The  seventeenth  century  letter  did  not  create  the  novel 
but  it  aid  guide  the  French  romance  type  to  the  Restoration  emo- 


•att*: 


f*-  ' •'  . j ' ■ '■'*  i- 

ciS'3-l';*14  t J-i  I'lV*.  ? i’'it 


.t:~,  ■• 


■1  • ..  *4  . ^Ii 


fc,"*  ^ 

\.f 


>v 

L 


:'7a£j‘i45%;^i‘"iTal  jJf* '^i^'-t  < til.' . . '■?  rflsc^  i ';-»^.,lii: 

- ‘ ' '■  .i  ' ‘ ' *,w 

’.'  ^jgH^J-JJ-  r • : ' . i’ln.l  •hfft'- «»4  f^ri  .la 

?i  ' ■’  ■ , ^ • %■  -_  ■***'*  -■' 

-Oil  .20  4ioil  >(JV0  "«  .. 

iiJ  i isv  ■-  ■■!;■;  i^ifX  * • "^  ^ '-i-^0  »*  -^g:*-frA  ixr^t.  ,> I.  *'^1!*^...  , 

:>jitj- t>J  fa  i*--  va  r i .-  ••  ’<i  I-  *X 


•4- 


* ' \ ■'■.,■  _ ’ 7;. 

^/ts.i.^o.'i  v.^'.Kiv'?' X iX??  >*«i  .'•.:  itV*-3'.'^X 

K >.  fli  ■ " ■ ' ' 


■-It . ‘ -t,Azr^  l .ZBi}ii^>  Lliks  1^'f  if  .:,’zo\  ‘l€< ^ uJ  W,- 


w - * 


-y  c . ii!  or^lyt..  W%:i  r hX  '^•‘‘ 


’ - 1 ".  1 


.*i>r  i.'oA^gxiiuiOZtf  -4il^^^,8^ai■x^..'i^>  +^:U- 


4..i  * j-iy  :i  ■p»;:<  l^o  cu.-:  a '.’^-2 **•'',  c 5.  *x  .'•  * -m ■ 


4,ri^'..  ■♦^ap  -(■;.:  4>i>  • . ..^  3 ..eUT.cr  lj..cr'  , «r.* 


r= 


" . -h:  - f •ii'ai"?  >.  .^ai 


E-’r:!..  ilvfad'  *-4<S  **  \4  . V I-  r.r:?il 'C‘ 

■X  - j*  ..  -^ 


^ 

:w  .V;iaj»:‘nev»i>  Ji44  Jidb.  ri/c  iHR- 


7f<  J 


iaOcX’SJ^'!  'O  t. 


-tfftj  S.-j;  jfc.(  ' "X'^  -.J  '•  ■jc'  '*'  6fl  'Cl3 

-“fa^  ic-1  '•fc 

( h^'liji£  hn^  j.'- •j'iSili  .tvnitfi  '■urx-’.Til  Jtf'ff.T'i- X®'--. 

■.■^X5t.+C  \ C^.:«r0isit  -'ti  OS  •'*  t Jlll/^  * l 

iji”' ii  - I'-  - - 1 .Xdvott^ 


.;  . f'#4rX»s  " 


■■eauM*'  ■uagtjp"' 


-iS^jOTt  ,-iVt  stliij 


rl  SV^ 


ticnalisis  ana  then  on  to  the  more  delightful  re-ilism  of  the 
Tatler.  Spectator,  of  Rohinson  Crusoe  and  Pamela. 

The  letter  then  on  not  be  too  strongly  emphasized  when 
discussing  'che  directness,  simplicity,  the  sym-pathetic  character 
portrayal,  the  realism,  of  events,  the  sincerity  of  em.otions, 
characteristics  in  part  of  all  modern  novels.  Without  the  let- 
ters 01  John  Donne,  Jarres  howell,  Dorotny  Osborne,  William  Tem;- 
ple,  Dryaen,  Audison,  Swiit,  Sueele,  Dennis  ana  Pope,  one:  first 
Englisn  novel  would  una-ubtedly  have  appeared  at  a still  later 
a te  than  it  did. 

Let  all  due  nonor  and  aijprecia.cion  oe  paid  to  the  un- 
assuming but  powerful  literary  form,  that  has  upheld  all  cilong, 
those  charec leristics  ir.^st  sincere  an^.  ucst:  t..  oe  striven  fer  in 
gaining  literary  perfection,  sincerity, ease  and  simplicity,  the 
gifts  ol  tx.e  seventeenth  century  letter. 


I 


Sk.W  It 


iA  ’ sif  tvOi'  zsjt 


V -v 


• ..  ^•■  ■r-k.  > rr^  f x! 


^ .^v ''i  , ••'Wsr' 


\ 


ci>i#4f  tf,*<  J ,'tSi(§  _ * , : i'  *a4v»i^ Oa'ill  CiS  ^rti  , VO?ri< 


t *?  ’ ■c>*'’' ■ ' *'0  1 \^fi  - 

1 --ai 


■ . oiu  ij..-  *!>i  ''oi*ei  5^- «•'*--*{© 

;;  ‘^v . 0 .'■'  a ,'  t - .UatHU  - - i.  - 


*»»  ^9‘?>. 


x:  ,-^c  . ; 


.J.“*  'i.»j*r  C.1 

t;s««j  - - saO^^X  ^ 

'..  ,vl94»yt.  J'ld  »|i|^ 

- - »y#J<  >5llr^4o  , . ^-.  •.  . ^5.  ' 


s;r^  ..• 


'j 


I 


-76- 


BIBLIOORAPKY 

.Anarews,  Alexanaer 

The  History  of  Exitish  Journali&m.  Lonacn  165S,  I. 
Aubin,  Penelope 

Collections  of  Entertaining  Histories  and  Novels. 
London,  1734. 

Barker,  Jane 

The  Patchwork  Screen.  London,  1723. 

Bernba'uiri,  O.E. 

!'r3.  Penn ' o Diograr  ..y  A Fiction,  Modarrn  Language  Asso- 
ciation Publication  XXVIII,  432. 

Bryan  and  Crane 

Knglish  Fairiliar  Essay,  New  vora,  1916. 

Burton,  ni chard 

Forces  In  Fiction,  Indianapolis  19C2 . 

Cross,  >V.L. 

Leveloprrent  of  the  English  Novel,  New  ■''•ork  1911 
Davis,  Vf.  .. 

xnglish  Essayists.  Boston,  1916. 

Earle,  John 

icrocoeirography,  Lonaon,  1811. 

Encyclopedia  Britan  ic.  , 1911,  IX,  XIX. 

English  ?.^en  of  Letters  Series,  New  York  1907,  I,  V,  VIII. 
Foster,  Dorothy 

Farly  Erecursors  of  Our  Modern  Miscella inies . Mouern 
Language  Association  Publication,  aXXII. 


■■  V i 


' 'SS 


- . •'.I  S 


' .-t  *1  ’ ^ 

I‘  .... 

<X  '.  ^\;.;.  u ■ * t:*j^  if>  |(3 


. . i" 


- * ^ 

, ii.'’ 


F? 


.i-i, 


r»  ^ - 


l« 


4i« 


is* 


£ 


XXVt^  A .■  • <U-, ?:.;-£■  &4*  -r^.. 


'Ci®' 


t.  i*  ? !•  _ 


.©ivL  ..««?«#■  - .-*.,raciu4V 


i W 


ilP.t  ,,,  . .: 

' » ';;^  ,1... -.  t :1  -ajr/il  _JU,i*^jl1 

. . - _ ••  ^...-srxi.  .■  4’tl!*  . .-^  ,rT  .. 

*■*  ♦--*  ; 

*C^fzJk  fC  ..  . ; ►?  i«t^'  V'i  <1.H*0V-'' 


*1T 


r:r;  . ^ ,»£t 


-77- 


Gcldsmith,  Oliver 

^"'orks.  Longer.  18C1,  IV. 

Hansene,  Mauae  B 

English  Familiar  Letter--writers . Philaaelpaia,  1902. 
Holliday > Carl 

English  Fiction  Fr.m  V-XX  Century,  New  York,  1912. 
howell,  James 

hc-Flian‘='e,  London,  1645. 

Johnson,  R.  Brirr.ley 

’^'oir.en  Novell. Ob,  Ne,.  York,  1919. 

Jonson,  Ben 

' taple  of  News.  Faited  oy  Ds  Winter,  New  Yojrit,  19C5. 

Letters 

Voiture’s  Letters,  Lenaon,  170C. 

To  Sir  T.  Osborne,  Lon^.r  io''2. 

Parliaiiien iicA.,  London  1701. 

Of  Sir  William  Temple,  Lon.^on.  1751,  III,  IV. 

Of  Lady  Mary  Montague,  Lonaon  1893. 

Ff  State,  by  Milton.  Lonaon  1694. 

To  Serena,  by  Toland. London  1704. 
from  a Laay  to  Her  Husb. na.  London  1728. 

The  Barson  ana  His  Clerk,  Lonaon  1734. 

Concerning  Taste,  Lonaon,  1755. 

nichardson's  Lire  ana  Correspcnaence,  Lon..c^ii  1804,  I. 
Select  Letter^  of  nrown,  London  1702. 

*^f  Love  and  Gallantry.  Lona.n  1734,  I,  II. 

To  Several  Persons  of  Quality  by  Donne,  London  1654. 
Original  Letters,  Penii  London  1823,  V. 


• 4 < 


^.liir  .^it,t.4?»--'i-  -=j  *i,-:f  «r?  ' 

- --^  - ^ Sr  ■ ^» 

-•;f  > ' , - 


4 ^ ^ 1 ^ 4-  V i "'4  i i^JS^  ^ }|  *^'l 


...oixibH 

^ 'S' 

’ ▼•  *"?  ■ ‘ 


1 
,f-  » 


w rrf 


9M 


"Sab. 


f ;'*■  T'-^' 


,A4Liii^f^  *v  n i 

,Pf  ^^N3^'^rh{>B 

, » ft  V .j*.  . 1 . ^ VC  :i  ;i«(wS|* 

'^J&S 


I 


t » 


.,:■  >» 


Ji 


x*i  . ■>;, 


it- •! 


'x '.  yttf^ a '.  J ,<•••;  J ^ • I W-'  - - ‘-  " 


\ • 


....4'  .*■•-,« l\\y: 


<4  .'i.  i ’ 

^y^*'  V 

'*c^4"  . 4 , f m / . . C 


. tL.^  £ ,s>4ajj  ,..3«  ■ . *.:.rii.-i:'? 

" * .•  • 

'■-i*'*  *i-'  y? 

.''■M  i>?^';iJe*;  .ii_s3J,n  ..  , . ■ ,i 

• • ^ '.  X • ?T  » X r . ^J  , .il^-  S»C  i>'i 

•'•T^-'aiW*-?j  .X  ’ -eir^I  j,  ’ 1 ' ?tt 

• • 

lil^t  * •.. j « -j 


^ *vX:  -/SC-  1-'  I.;  4^-.  1^  li4  •*  &^i'‘  / 


I 


. >r4  ^4iCVM' f *^3  T . ^ 

• ^1  .:  .U'x  V . r ' ,vw.*  r 

4 '■  . . 

»2'.  • f C*  *r  I’l ' ▼4'>  cT 

/:*  ."'  iit  - ^11  . I ■ ♦.:':*  : •.* 


‘■r 


-78- 


To  the  Til tler-Unpu:,li shed-  Collected  1725,  London. 
Lott.ana,  J.H. 

English  Essays,  London 
Lockwood  and  Kelly 

^’peciirens  of  Letter  Writing,  New  Yorh  1911. 

Loix^e,  Julie  E. 

Lady  Ms,rtha  Giffora  Life  and  Letteis,  London  1911. 

.air,  C-.r. . 

Modern  English  Literature.  New  York  ana  Lonaon,  1914. 
i-iorgan,  Charlotte  L. 

""he  Rise  of  the  >Tovel  of  Manaers.  New  rrork,  1911. 
Perioaic ils 

Originals  of  tne  Tatler,  Spect  tor,  E.x<iir.iner,  Flying 
-^ost.  Post  Boy,  London  Gazette 
The  Gleaner,  I 
Town  Talk, 

Athenian  Oracle 
Ihe  Craftsman 
Gentleman's  journal 
gentleman's  f/.ag.  ziiie 
'’'he  Ch-.mpion 
: at ler 
"Spectator 
Guardian 
Free  Thinker 
Fogs  Journal 
"^he  Friend 
Perry  T.S. 

English  Literature  in  "tKe  Eighteenth  Century,  Mew  York 
1865. 


m 


. T.fitz  Ji  S K li  •■5:  L'  , X|[;  - r:  nt 


>1^; 


ft.  ^-loJ  *.^  : i»- 

■ 

* -^  »:  ♦ ''' X CjL- nwJ 

' .**  ^ ./■  “■  .'  ..'  ' ~~i  . 

a .i4  'x‘-  '“*'■■ 


. iti'*' J I * V * ? 


• N 


i i\  V J . fTa* 


[a:- 


R'l; 


Wi  i. 


iHljl'J  lo  • {?•■<■  ,4i*  y;, 


^ r 


. ' 


-,t  o^£i;c ; xsT 


r 


- ^ 

f.o.'-T»’  itfi'.  -■  ' 


If 


../  : 


<? 


■'  e*  v-"-^ 


H ' ^*-'  * 

— .«!  I * 


jS' 


-1(1^  ’ 

4»ir 


V113^  f 


-79- 


P.ichardson,  Samel 

Pamela,  London,  19C2,  I. 

rife  and  Character  Austin  Dobson  and  Phelps. 

Flivc,  Ex  nest 

Century  ci  Essays.  Caxton  to  Stevenson,  Lew  York,  1915. 
Rowe,  Eli^abetn 

’ orks,  I 

Saintsoury,  George 

The  English  Novel.  Yew  York,  1913 
Scott,  Walter 

biographies,  Edinburgh  1881',  III,  IV. 

Shaf t sbuiy 

Charac  tens  : xr.8,  London  1732. 

Shakespeare 

»nglana.,  Oxiora,  Ibio,  II. 

StoVoiiS,  L.i.  • 

arty  Politics  ana  Englisn  Journalism  1702-1742.  Pub- 
lished 191b. 

Tinker,  C . B . 

The  Salon  ?nd  English  Letters,  New  York,  1915. 

Traill  ana  Mi.nn 

Social  England,  New  vork  1909,  IV. 

Upham,  A.F. 

’"rench  Iniiuence  in  Englisn  Lit^r  .ture.  .'cv.  York,  1908. 
Whicher,  G.F. 

Ivlrs.  Eliza  Haywood,  New  York,  1909. 

Whitmore,  Clara 

’Aomen's  '^^oij!l  in  lih»n  Fiction,  New  York,  1910. 


, ■ ' *.  *"  * ^ 

• ■ ,uO€^r 


‘*.T 


ftO 


^iX  » 


»/ 


— ■ 

r®--'  ■ 


j'ifVt  ,*Odil'» 


• ?•  V 


V^tu 


..^"T*5 

■4*  '■» 


twj-ii,4':_ 

t9ITQ]|r 

*'  i ’w'-^  ■■  ■’* 

[zM-lCrT^ 


*»:s  . a*  t :rtViS^SHtS^9t  f 


^;,ic#X  'J^-<  fi9  lifts? 


r 


‘ \ 


‘ s . 


.-r^'  . <«.,.;Mi,i»j‘-n3i4 

• ' 


• It  .c  .r&i.,  u.*}  -lu* 

. i.  :_.-.T»^ 

,i»A  „ tki  ■-  L W- Sr*?  'I  _■*£*-  ' 

■->; : j tffiiBii  ^ 


-80- 


Williams  , 


Williams , 


I 

Harold 

Two  Centuries  of  the  English  Hovel,  London  1911. 

Orlo 

1 

The  Essay,  Hew  Yorlc* 


